


The State Of Our Decay

by writer_of_ill_repute



Category: Tegan and Sara (Band)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-07
Updated: 2015-08-11
Packaged: 2018-04-03 07:25:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 43,624
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4092247
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writer_of_ill_repute/pseuds/writer_of_ill_repute
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Six months after a deadly virus rampages through the world leaving only pockets of survivors still alive within a land owned by zombies. Tegan and Sara with hopes of finding or founding a community wish to bring some hope back to the world. To try and fight against the onslaught and have a somewhat normal life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Dead Nation

"Check down there," I say peering around the corner of the building.

One of those ghouls is sitting on the sidewalk. Leaning against the brick wall of the pharmacy's facade. Right beside him is a cast iron grate covering the broken glass doors. Though caked with blood and gore the grating itself seems strong and sturdy..

I shoot a look behind me to check if anything has decided to creep up.

"This way," Sara says from down the alleyway. She is my twin sisters, and it was just happenstance that we ended up being stuck together in this hell. Regardless I wouldn't want to be in this with anyone else.

Without another thought I run down to Sara and we turn the corner at the intersecting alleyways. The back door of the pharmacy has been left open, and we both creep toward the opening. It's dark inside betraying the hovering midday sun. Long tendrils of shadows allow only the briefest of glances at whatever is inside. Then something falls inside causing Sara to cock her gun but I shake my head while pulling out my ice pick. Quieter is definitely better.

Each step that I make towards the doorway is slow and calculated. The last thing I want is one of them inside to notice me before I am ready.

“Hello?” I ask into the dark. With a bit of hope that there will be an actual friendly voice on the other side, or even nothing at all. A zombie's moans answers in reply.

With a sigh I take a couple steps back from the entrance to await my rotting pursuer. A zombie dressed in torn black slim jeans and a torn Velvet Underground t-shirt steps into the lights. Half her face has been ripped off and her hair is matted with blood. Milky white eyes level at me and she lets out a growl, but before she can lunge at me I grab her. Driving my ice pick in her right ear. Her weight goes limp and she thuds against the asphalt once I remove my pick from her brain.

Sara brings her flashlight up and illuminates the room. Medicine bottles both empty and full lie strewn around the floor. We both step inside trying not to make much noise, and I grab a board leaning against the wall to prop under the handle. Sara keeps walking towards the open pharmacy to the right and I pull out my SIG Sauer 1911. I only have four rounds left, and would rather not shoot anything.

“Pharmacy is clear,” Sara says as I walk by her, “I'll check for anything useful.”

That's one of the reasons why I am glad I got stuck in this situation with my twin. She was a doctor and worked at some teaching hospital in Los Angeles for at least seven years. She was always the smarter one of the two, but I have been stronger than here. We both we be dead if it wasn't for our more specialized skill set matching. Her with her brain and me with my brawn. 

Stepping forward into the store front a large pool of blood seeps from under some shelves containing quite a bit of food and needed supplies. All the signs of a struggle with the dead decorate the place. Almost as if it was meant to be there are no other zombies within the small storefront. Not to mention food; lots of hygienic stuff for us to use.

My attention is turned to the zombie from before trying to reach me through the grating. Yet all he does is tear his arms up on the glass. Which are already covered with bits of skin and muscle. With a chuckle I grab a travel-sized bottle of mouthwash. Swirling a bit of the minty-burning sensation around what were once well-maintained teeth.

“I think we might be good in here. At least for tonight. More than enough stuff for us to take. No need to take risks outside for the rest of the day,” I say as I turn down a row of shelves. Candy of all sorts line each side and litters the floor.

Stuffing the small bottle into a free spot in my bag I examine each candy with an expert eye.

“Well the medicine is picked over a bit but I got a lot of stuff for bandages as well as disinfectants. A few antibiotics and your insulin as well. We also got some more strips so no excuse to not check your blood sugar. Some pain meds too. If we wanted to kill ourselves,” she drops the bag when she steps up to me, “holy shit that is a lot of candy. We need to grab some of this. You can have one for now. I can promise you your blood sugar can use the boost.”

“Thanks doc,” I grab a Butterfinger off the shelf, “and I am sure there is at least canned food here as well. Eat something more fulfilling.”

“You go look for it,” she pushes me out of the aisle, “and then we can raid the candy and diet soda. I know we need to survive but it isn't through empty calories. Real food and supplies first.”

“Yeah yeah,” I walk off with a mouthful of candy.

Turning down the next aisle I spot a shelf full of canned beans, sausages, and even a bit of dog food.

“I got some real food and some dog food. We could probably eat for awhile with this,” I finish off my candy and toss the wrapper to the side, “looks like the Quins finally got some luck.”

“I'll pack the actual food and most of the candy.”

“Get me some some sugar-free mints and gum. Nothing else sugar-free. That stuff is disastrous.”

“Already got those,” she replies as I walk up to the grating. Another zombie has joined in the pursuit of us. With two hard thrusts they fall limp against the cage and glass.

“We could probably stay here longer than just today,” Sara walks over to me with a Snickers in hand. “It's safe and there is more supplies than we can take.”

“We have to keep moving,” I say looking out to the road in front of the store. Half a person lies in the middle of the street. Bite marks and torn flesh dot around him. “It is how we stay alive. There's gotta be a safe place out there, ya know? Something with actual walls.”

“It seems foolish to not maximize our time here. It is a small town so the zombie density is low. We stay here tonight and scout around the area tomorrow,” Sara says finishing her candy. “We might be able to fortify this place. Letting us stay here as long as possible.”

“Not here,” I say moving from the window. Grabbing another candy bar I sit down on the cold tile floor. I know this might be overdoing it but I haven't ate anything today. I say, “perhaps you have been right all along. That we need to find a place for us to fortify. This isn't it though. We'd need a strong place. Walls, or at least some long spanning chain-link fence. Then we just build it up from the inside.”

“It'll be good fortune if it can keep bandits out,” she finishes my thought.

“Yeah that too,” I grab my bag and take a bottle of water out to follow all the sugar I ingested. “Let's grab whatever else we need.”

Rubbing alcohol, toilet paper, gauze, and an almost limitless supply of bottled water. Though tempting as it would be to sit here and just ride it out for awhile. I know there are other people in the area. This would just be a beacon for them. So as I stuff as much water into the pouches and harnesses hanging off my knapsack.

“They have some beers,” Sara almost squeals. “I think a few of these for the day won't be a bad idea. We got water to stay hydrated as well.”

“We need a piss bucket too.”

“I am sure we can use something.”

Coming up to a little checkout counter I spot the wall of cigarettes behind it. Checking to see if the floor is clear, and once it is I hop over. “Now this is something I can use. I was down to my last pack.”

“You know how bad those are?” Sara places a beer on the counter for me.

“Between the zombies, those fast fuckers, and other humans,” I stuff all the packs I can into an already overstuffed bag. “I don't think cancer is how I am going to go. In fact it seems a bit of a reprieve.”

Lighting up a cigarette and grab the bottle off the counter. Untwisting the top I let the room temperature bitter beer down my throat. Both soothes my mouth and makes memories want to bubble up out of me. Shaking them off I continue to look around for anything useful.

The rest of the day passes without much attention from any of the walkers outsides. With neither a howl or a roar have I heard from any runners. Yet by this point they should all be rotters. The slow, shambling kind that are easier to get rid of. 

“I miss Calgary,” I say as I look over at my sister illuminated by the dim moon light streaming in. “I miss showers and TV.”

Another swallow of beer wets my throat and soothes my mind.

“I miss my apartment and books,” Sara replies after a moment. She takes a drink as well, “I miss not having to run for my life so much.”

“Hah,” I respond before tossing the empty bottle to the side where it rolls away.

“I think we should head further north. Perhaps west toward Alaska,” Sara munches on a beef stick. Plenty of them left over in the store. “Less people means less zombies. We just need to find some insulated clothes on the way.”

A zombie bangs loudly against the grates causing the both of us to pause a second.

I light a cigarette and exhale a large amorphous cloud, “it isn't a bad idea. I mean we just have to find some shelter up there. The only problem is all the undead fucks between here and there. If we can get there I am sure we can make a nice place to fortify. Plus the winters should freeze all those bastards. Allowing us to do some cleansing, ya know?”

Sara pulls out of her many maps from her bag, and she smooths out the wrinkles once the map is unfolded.

“Okay,” she begins pointing at a small town on the map, “this is where we are. A little town called Snowden and we are a hundred some odd kilometers outside of Vancouver. We could try to find a boat to take to Alaska.”

“First of all before we even get on the issue of taking a boat. That the both of us don't know how to use,” I take a pull off my cigarette, “you are actually telling me. That we have to march through a zombie infested city?”

“Well we will just have to get there by land then,” Sara examines the major roads between here and the Alaskan border. “Go north into the Northwest Territory and then to the Yukon. From there we just cross over the border. I don't know how it is even going to be getting there. If we are lucky we can find a car.”

“What about the terrain? I don't remember geography from school.”

“Well if we stay near the major roads then we should be fine regardless,” Sara pulls a sharpie from her bag. “I am just going to mark the best route. Of course we will see if this route is practical as we go.”

“Our bags are stuffed to the brim with supplies. We leave tomorrow, and if we are lucky enough to find a car. We might be able to cover a lot of distance from the get go,” I lean back against the wall.

“You think you can get first watch tonight, Sara?” I ask after some time passes between us. Snuffing my cigarette on the floor I finish, “I don't think I can make it tonight.”

“I'm already falling asleep a little,” she replies with sleep-coloring her words, “I am sorry. I can try for tomorrow.”

“Nah,” I smile into the darkness, “no worries, Sasa. Good night.”

“Good night,” she replies back.

Sara can't really stay up later and I've always had problems falling asleep so I take first watch tonight, and most nights. Insomnia being a pain in the ass before the dead began to hunt us and even mores so now. So while Sara sleeps I have more time to be stuck in my head, and seek out small comforts.

Grabbing my dead cellphone and charger from my bag. Hoping for power as I plug them into an outlet in the wall, and happily my phone begins to charge. One of the few things I have that can bring happy memories back to my mind lies within this phone. To escape from the complete and utter shit surrounding me on a persistent basis.

Turning my phone on the bright light as me paranoid for a moment. Moving to my knees I look out the grate to see nothing unusual. Moving back to my ass I navigate to the photo gallery. Each one a reminder that this isn't how the world is anymore. What once was no longer exists, and the bittersweet pill knowing that everyone I am looking at. My friends, girlfriend, and family are all dead sans Sara. Which I am grateful for and I am happy for that at least.

I don't know how long I look at my photos, happy I was such a phone photographer. It helps keep so many memories I would have forgotten, or at least put on the back burner for being not a concern with survival. Then again it is probably best to spend these quiet nights. Where the only thing to focus on are the leg-draggers outside and their nonstop moaning.

A particularly heart-wrenching photo appears on my phone. My girlfriend, Lindsey, on our five year anniversary is lying on our bed. Her favorite flowery blanket lying beneath her. However this isn't what draws my eyes. She is bare breasted with a pair of her black tight pants covering the rest of her. I Love You is drawn over her breasts in that crimson lipstick she would wear on formal occasions. A tear rolls down my cheek and off of my chin.

“I'm so sorry,” I whisper just above a breath.

Though there's a part of me that is somewhat grateful for the shitty situation I am in. A fire has laid dormant between my sister and I since we were teens. I would be lying if I said I didn't miss Lindsey, as I do every day. I got the woman I should have had years ago.

“You awake?” Sara asks as quiet as possible. She crawls over me, as if to not be seen outside in case of anything. She kisses my lips and cocks her head, “did you use some of that mouthwash?”

“I did after I had one of those beef sticks,” I reply feeling the wear of the day, “I think it is your turn. I need to get some sleep. Wake me up when you notice the sun. If I'm not up by then.”

“Okay,” she replies, “good night.”

Sleep comes easy to me once I lie my head upon a package of toilet paper. My dreams come to me as vivid memories. Every since the outbreak started I spend each night reliving particular moments, both happy and sad. The one tonight is quite powerful as if I am there again.

“Mum?” I ask as my mother falls forward from the couch.

“Do you think she is turning into one of them?” Sara says covering her mouth with her hand. “Like on the news.”

What used to be our mom begins to breath quicker and quicker. Like she is in the middle of running a marathon. A sickly sheen of sweat soaks through her clothes, and after a moment she begins to growl over and over. 

“She's one of them,” Sara utters. At her words what was once our mother casts her milky white eyes at my sister.

“Mum!” I shout at the ghoul and she shoots her attention to me.

With an excited growl she jumps to her feet and stares at me. No longer does my caring mother exist within the features of this thing. A snarl crosses its lips and with an inhuman howl she leaps onto the couch before lunging at me.

I stumble over my feet as I am pushed against the wall. Her fingers slashing across my face causing me to cry out in pain.

“Sara!” I shout as I use all of my strength to keep her mouth away from me. “Get her off of me!”

She comes up behind the zombie and knocks the thing over with a well placed shot from a heavy statuette our mum had decorated the living room with. The thing tries to get up so I snatch the implement out of my sister's hand. Raising the thing above my head there's a resounding crunch as I bring it down onto her skull. This is followed by another and another and a forth time which finally has my mother's body go from twitching to still.

Blood covers the statuette as it didn't have time to congeal. A small puddle of blood seeps out around her head. Bit of flesh, bone, and brain are smashed into what remains of the skull. Dropping the thing down with a heavy thud. 

“Mum,” Sara begins to cry as I try to recapture my breath.

My brain refuses to comprehend what just happened for a moment. My reasoning side tells me that was just a monster using my mum as disguise. Falling to my knees for a moment as I try to collect myself. Thoughts racing through my heads of what we have seen on the news and what just happened right here. 

“We can't stay here,” Sara says after some time has passed, “it is only going to get worse. As the TV said. We need to get out of the city.”

A loud howl followed by the screams of people in the condo's and hallways around me. Shooting to my feet I grab the couch and summon all of the strength I have. With comparative ease I push the heavy thing against the door. Within seconds something begins to pound on the door.

“Help!” a woman yells from the other side. Though a moment passes and she stops banging on the door.

“Tegan,” Sara catches my attention as I turn away from the door. “How are we getting out? Those things are all over the place.”

A good question and I rush through the sliding glass doors the lead onto the balcony.

“Fuck,” I curse, “why did mum have to get a condo three stories up?”

“I got an idea,” my sister rushes back into the condo.

The scene below me is utter chaos. An orgy of blood and violence. Adults, teens, and children alike being torn to shreds by these monsters whose hunger knows no bound. Distant shots ring out which causes a group of them to run off to find the source.

“Okay if we can make it down to the next balcony we can steal more sheets,” she says as she begins to tie them end-to-end in an intricate knot.

“And if there are those, well, zombies down in the condo below us?” I ask knowing the answer full well.

“Well,” Sara looks back at the corpse of what used to be our mum, “you know what to do.”

“Yeah,” I reply as Sara ties the rope she made to the railing and then double knots it. “I guess I will test it for you.”

Looking down to see that the sheet rests on the balcony below us. It feels me a bit less trepidation as before as I just imagine this as gym class seemingly so long ago. The wind picks up a bit as I lose my grip just feet from the balcony. Landing in an unceremonious way upon my ass. I groan and stand up as something inside the condo catches my attention.

That's when I saw it.

“Wake up,” Sara pushes me and my eyes shoot open to see her familiar brown ones looking down. She kisses me on the nose, “It is morning. We should head out soon.”

“Yeah,” I say before coughing a bit. “Just give me a minute.”

Shaking the vivid dream from my mind isn't easy. As I remember the event like it happened yesterday and the feelings are still a bit fresh. Making my way to my feet I sling my bag onto my shoulders as Sara hands me a can of dog foot.

“These two cans are the last on the shelf. Sure they are dog food but good energy for the road ahead. Just try not to think about it,” Sara always tries to make dog food sound much more appetizing than it is.

Though to be honest dog food doesn't taste half-bad. In fact, as I shovel a spoonful into my mouth, I actually enjoy it. It isn't disgusting, the food really doesn't have a discernible taste. Yet my mind tells me it is the most delicious thing in the world, and for good reason. It keeps me and my twin going as it is full of nutrients and minerals we need. Even if we are still just eating dog food.

“Blargh,” a zombie moans as it somehow finds us through the grate and broken glass. His arm reaches through all in a hopeless attempt to get us.

“Let's get out of here,” Sara grabs one last water bottle for the road.

We step up to the back door with Sara holding her crowbar and I my ice pick. Removing the board keeping the door closed. I open the door fully and just wait. Listening for any shuffling of feet or moans.

“We have one,” Sara says as the distant shuffling of feet gets close, “I got this.”

I step out with her and take a good look around the area. A zombie coming towards Sara with several down the alleyway a bit away from us. Though they haven't noticed us yet they will when my sister begins smashing a skull.

“Make it quick,” I reply as my sister walks up to the zombie. When the ghastly thing is within reach Sara clobbers it with the crowbar. Sending the beast groaning down to the asphalt. Another couple of whacks send it off to oblivion and end its miserable existence.

“Come on,” she says as the two of us jog around the corner we came from yesterday.

We jog down the alleyway towards the road, and though a large group of zombies lies in the distance to the east. The two of us luckily head to the west down the road heading out of town.

“So if we keep up a good pace,” Sara says as we cross out of the small town's limits. “We might be able to make the highway by the end of the day.”

“And sleep in a car again?” I tease her.

Sara grabs a sturdy branch from the side of the road, “no. You know how lucky we were that night?”

“I think it is more like they were unlucky,” I reply and light myself up a cigarette.

A glare from Sara is the only response I receive for my lighting up but I don't care. These long country roads tend to not be that dangerous. A few stragglers and occasionally having to duck somewhere if a car comes barreling down. But that has only happened once. So what not a better time than right now?

“Know what I really want right now?” Sara says as the sun comes up high above us.

“A bath?”

“Yes,” she groans and kicks a rock towards a ditch at the side of the street. “but that's not what I am talking about. I am talking about a nice dessert coffee with a shot of espresso. So the overly sweet flavor.”

“Mint chocolate,” I grin over at her.

“Of course,” she smiles at me and turns her gaze back in front of us, “that sugar and caffeine high. Got me through so many days.”

“At least we got some instant coffee back at the gas station a few days back,” I say as I spot two figures just hanging out. An overturned van blocks most of the road, and black smoke raises from the engine. Four bodies lie under the open sky with a cloud of flies buzzing around them.

“Are they infected?” Sara hisses at me as she instinctive takes a step closer over towards myself.

“Doesn't look like it but only one way to find out,” I pick up a rock by my feet. With a somewhat amazing throw the rock bounces in front of the two leg-draggers. After a moment their lifeless eyes turn toward the two of us and they begin their shamble.

“Well that's good,” Sara sighs in relief.

We walk closer to them as thee zombies do all they can to get close. One branches off towards my twin while I grab the closer one by it's torn up short and I drive the pick into its forehead. Looking over at Sara to see her destroying the former woman's skull. Bits of hair, bone, and flesh cover the crowbar. I bend down to wipe the pick on the shirt off the poor soul lying at my feet.

“Let's make sure we aren't alone,” Sara says jogging to the other side of the turned over van.

I scan the woods surrounding the road. Not a sound but Sara and I's breathing. Not even the sounds of animals breaking the silence is surreal. As if the zombies had ate every animal out there. Though I know that isn't the case.

“Clear,” Sara's voice calls out to me, “as far as I can tell.”

“Same here,” I reply, “let's continue on. A lot more road to go.”

The sun is relentless as we continue ever onward putting the van out of view. We don't chat too much as we continue on. Time sometimes seems to slow down out here where there isn't much to be seen. While I don't want to have the millionth conversation with my girlfriend that boils down to us talking about what food we miss the most. 

“Hamburger,” Sara moans like a zombie herself, “I want a cheesy one with bacon and an extra patty.

“Don't even get me started,” I punch her in the shoulder, “now that is all I can think of. I'll pay the extra two dollars for avocado on it! And some fucking fries too.”

“Poutine, Tee, poutine.”

Once the sun starts reaching below the horizon I spot the on ramp.

“Sara,” I point toward the on ramp as it comes within view, “I think we should just go for it for a bit. Find something to hide on or in.”

“Well we should find a semi or something of the sort,” Sara takes a drink of water before offering me it.

I take the bottle for a quick drink and hand it back. Looking around the area for a moment I sigh, “well alright. You know the runners haven't really been around too much. I think they are all rotters. At least the majority.”

“I got my gun. You take care of the heavy lifting,” Sara hands me her crowbar, “we can travel for a bit before we got to stop. Just watch out for any of those fuckers as well.”

“Isn't my first time in the dark,” I nod at her.

Placing the pick into my belt as we continue towards the rather steep asphalt ramp. Several groups of cars and trucks cover the ramp. While the distinctive moans and shuffling can be heard from ahead of us. Despite this we continue past a Jeep and a sedan turned to burnt out husk and grouped against the guardrail. A couple charred corpses lie inside. The corpse in the sedan's hand keeps moving its fingers however.

“Well,” Sara says as we stop at the top, “at least we are going the opposite way.”

“That's a lot of zombies,” I run a hand down my face while stating the obvious.

An almost wall-like amount of zombies standing idly by a ways down the highway. None of them have noticed us. Yet I can't help noticing the smell coming from their direction. A vile, horrendous aroma that could drive you to your knees if you've never smelt anything similar to it before.

“Let's just ignore them,” Sara leads on between a couple of cars that have been driven into the cement sides on opposite ends. Several corpses lie around but one is twitching a bit and Sara point it out, “one to the right Tegan. It's still on the ground.”

I run up and drive my knee into the zombie as it tries to stand sending it tumbling into a wrecked car. Rising the crowbar above my head I smash it into the ghouls skull, and again until it stops moving. Shaking the flesh off as I follow Sara deeper into the deadly maze of cars and burnt-out husks.

“Maybe it has been too long,” she says after stomping another zombie's skull, “you know? I mean think about it. By this point most humans are dead so there aren't many newly infected around. The last time we saw an infected was before we crossed over to B.C. The family inside that Tim Horton's.”

“Better them than us, Sara, but yes. I've thought about it too. There will always be rogue ones as survivors die. So have to be vigilant,” I reply.

“Of course, but it is just a good thing. These mindless rotters,” Sara points out another one on the other side of the highway. “Are easy to just avoid and predictable to fight.”

“Well let's just find a tall enough spot to bunker done for the night,” I reply skirting by a torso crawling towards me. It's intestines and stomach protrude through the blueish-hued skin and drags behind it.

As we move past a pickup truck I spot a bus that has crashed through the median and over to the next side. Like a bridge over the grassy ditch between the sides.. Blood streaks down it's side and cakes some windows. With what appears to be two arms hanging from one of the windows.

“I'll give you a boost and you can help me up,” Sara checks around the area and once satisfied she crouches down. I stick my right foot into her interlocked hands and I pull myself up to the top. My arms burn a bit once I am on top. Yet I reach down to grab Sara's outstretched hand and help her to the top.

Removing my knapsack, once we are both safely up here, and I grab a beef stick from inside. Ripping the wrapper open and I take a huge bite.

“Thanks,” Sara kisses my cheek and I smile at her with bits of greasy processed meat in my mouth.

“No problem,” I reply before kissing her on the lips. Even though we've been doing this for awhile since this happened. I still enjoy being able to kiss her without fear now.

Sara pulls out the map, a compass, and her flashlight. She pours over the map with compass in hand. Her entire attention focused to figure out where we are at. At least as close as she can guess. I munch on my beef stick as the shuffling of a zombie gets closer, and through the moonlight I spot him. An older man in a trucker cap and some torn pants. His stomach has ruptured with all the flesh he has been eating having no other place to go but out.

“So we didn't do to bad. Maybe tomorrow evening we will turn north. Just avoid Vancouver and that area like it is radioactive,” she shrugs taking a bite of a Dove bar. She says, “well might be for all we know.”

“You remember the stories before the radio went out,” I say watching another zombie trip over something just out of sight. “They mentioned several nuclear attacks, but that was around the world.”

“Russia nuked someone,” Sara sits beside me and leans her weight upon my right shoulder. She faces the opposite way I am.

“They were going to nuke someone at some point. Regardless of zombies.”

“Yeah,” Sara replies with a yawn.

I light up a cigarette with a long inhale, and with a sigh the smoke escapes my mouth and nose. So this has become my life, and outside of the constant threat of a painful death. I don't consider it that bad of a raw deal. I haven't ever felt more alive and I can be with Sara without fear of being caught. We've already had that discussion if something was to happen to either one of us. A shake of the head and an exhale of smoke helps clear those thoughts away. 

Then a horrifying sound that I hoped not to hear again is the same from before when we climbed the ramp. A chorus of moans carried upon the breeze like an uncaring messenger. As well as that vilest of vile smells that assaulted my nose.

“Sara,” I hiss but look over to see she is snoring soundly. So I push her off causing her to curse at me and rub her eyes.

“What the hell?” she replies indignant of being awoken.

“Shh,” I hush her, “listen.”

The moaning is getting closer and closer in a persistent slow manner. Sara hoists her bag onto her shoulders and I do the same without even communicating.

“They will trap us or worse. Push the bus over,” I say, “our stay is over.”

We check our way forward, and with no ghouls around to jump us once we land. The both of us drop to the asphalt and stay within the open as much as possible.

“We can power through this,” I say as we jog just fast enough to stay in front of the horde of death.

“What other choice we got?”

Her words ring true as we keep going for half an hour with ease. Few dead ones in front of us, and we are moving quick enough to not be grabbed. The zombies seem to be in blissful ignorance until it is too late for them to even have a chance.

“Fuck,” I say while we both stop as another large group of zombies stand yards away. Each and everyone of them interested in having a twin feast.

“Over here!” a woman's voice shouts from within the woods to the left of us. 

A flaming bottle flies from the voice's direction and towards the zombies in front of us. It hits one of the ghouls in the forehead and bursts into an almost liquid shower of fire. Igniting all the dead flesh upon contact.

“Hurry! We have shelter!” a man's voice yells.

Making out two shadowy-looking people within the woods. With the shadows and the moon trying their best to obscure the two's features. I pull out my gun as does Sara, and with my sister's attention on the two of them. I check to see if the horde is even close to catching. Though their moans still carry upon the wind.

“Who are you?” I command as I pull back the slide on my gun and flip the safety off.

“Identify yourself!” Sara adds with power behind her voice as she follows my lead.

Rustling of the trees leads to them parting somewhat as a rather diminutive woman steps out from the shadows. She wears a thick leather jacket zipped up halfway and worn denim pants. A red bandana covers her hair, and there is a large revolver in a holster on her hip.

“I don't think we have time for this right now. Do we?”


	2. The Road

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Meeting up with two more people by what appears to be happenstance. Tegan and Sara make their way towards Alaska. Though thousands of miles of road sit between here and there. They push on forward despite all the road blockages, zombies, and anything else that may get in the way.

“There is always time,” I reply as I train my gun on the woman, “it would be easy to just shoot you two right now. We would be gone before the horde comes. So let me repeat myself. Who are you?”

“Well I am Emy and that is Ted,” the woman responds as the man steps into the moonlight. A rather unassuming type of person. The type you would see working at Best Buy or Walmart. Yet here he is with a snub-nosed pistol in one hand and a flashlight in the other.

“I am Tegan and this is,” I look over at my sister for a moment, "and this is my partner Sara."

“If you two come with us I can promise you no harm will come to the both of you,” the man speaks as he checks for the horde. “We have a group. We are trying to set up a safe place for people. I know there are some bad people out there so it is hard to trust us. We can explain everything when we get to the car.”

"You have a car?" I ask.

“Tegan,” Sara steps over to me and whispers, “there are only two of them. What if they are legit? Plus we got a shit ton of zombies coming for us. We cannot stand here.”

“Alright,” I reply nodding at the two of them, “get us out of here.”

“Follow us,” Emy says before darting off into the woods. “Run! We won't be alone for long!”

“I will bring up the rear,” Ted says with a nod, “and please trust us.”

There is something about the man that has me trusting him despite the fact that we just met. It is hard to make out Emy in the stray lights of the moon that filter in from between the leaves and branches. Her voice directs us, “come on! This way! Don't slow down!” and various other audible beacons.

The collective moan comes through the trees to the left of us. Crunching leaves and breaking branches tell me that the ghouls still have not acquired a subtle touch.

“There!” Sara shouts as she runs past me and up an embankment. When I crest the hill I spot bright headlights illuminate the woods, and the zombies that are getting closer to the four of us. We all sprint for the SUV that sits idling in a cul-de-sac. Emy pulls out her revolver and stops to take aim. The roar from that gun is like a dragon's, and it causes both of her arms to jerk upwards. A zombie near the vehicle falls to the ground with a pancake-sized hole within their chest.

“You drive Ted!” Emy hops into the seat behind Ted. While I take passenger and Sara is right behind me.

A pair of decayed hands slap at my window, but he punches the gas causing our bodies to jerk forward. He gets us away from the walking dead while turning the car around in rather spectacular fashion. Once we are facing the right direction he speeds away from the zombies and towards the empty street.

“Now wasn't that fun ladies!” Emy slaps Ted and I on the shoulders.

“Glad we ran across you two,” Ted says as he lights himself up a cigarette and offers me one.

I light the tip of my cigarette before rolling my window down a bit. The night air is calming and soothing in a way.

“How did you come about running across the two of us?” I ask exhaling into the wind.

“Well to be a hundred percent honest with you,” Emy begins as she lights her own cigarette. It seems smoking has become ever more popular since the zombies arrived. Emy exhales and continues, “we've been watching you for a day now. So if we wanted to have killed you two we would have done it by now. So please trust us when we say we have no intention on hurting you two. We were sent out by our group to find suitable people to help build up our community.”

“Where is your community at?” Sara asks.

“About forty miles north of here. We are mostly a group from Vancouver. Though we have people from other parts of the province. Emy and I came from the city with the group and helped start it. To become a community,” Ted answers as he takes a right turn and gets back onto the highway.

“How long have you two been away from you group? Are you even sure that it is still there?” I ask wanting every answer he has.

“We were last in contact with them a few days ago before our CB died on us,” Emy replies for the man, “so pretty sure. They are a tough group. We have a former Medic from the Marines as well as a few of her old squad keeping up security. A engineer student that is pretty good at reinforcing everything, and even an old farming couple. May not be able to do much now but teaching us how to grow our own food.”

“You've all been together since this started?” Sara scoffs as she pulls out a Butterfinger from her bag. Which catches Emy's attention.

“Oh damn,” Emy tosses her cigarette out the window, “can I have a piece of that Sara please?”

My sister shrugs her shoulders and breaks it in half and says, “when was the last time you two ate?”

“Oh we ate some Spam this morning,” Emy takes a huge bite out of the chocolate, “but it has been awhile since I've had a Butterfinger. They are my favorite even though they like to get stuck in your teeth. So much appreciated.”

“Yeah no problem,” Sara hands me the other half.

“You two somehow have survived this whole thing by yourself?” Ted asks after some time, “I mean we only made it out because of our group.”

“We had a group at one point,” I reply as I toss my cigarette out the window. Stuffing the entire half-bar into my mouth, and I enjoy the almost decadent-like chocolate. It melts in my mouth and I just want to moan at the flavor. 

“What happened to them?” Emy asks but I am sure she already knows the answer.

“The same thing that happens to everyone out here at some point,” Sara replies with a dead pan sincerity, "they die."

“Oh,” Emy says and a silence falls over all us. Neither one of us speaks for a bit before she breaks the silence, “so you two have any special skills. Like were you in the army tough guy? You kind of have a bad ass attitude around you.”

“No not anything military,” I don't look back at her. My gaze affixed to the road in front of us, “I was trying to be a cop. Didn't quite make it before the world went to shit, though. What about you? What did you do before the world turned to utter shit?”

“Oh I was a music journalist,” Emy laughs but stops herself short, “seems like a lifetime ago. Most of it was freelance and stayed around Vancouver and Seattle.”

“I was a guitarist with The Newly Found. Emy was interviewing us when shit went down. We are the only ones left from that initial group,” Ted pulls out a piece of beef jerky from his pocket. He takes a bite, “what about you Sara?”

“I just got done with my residency a few years ago and I was still deciding upon my specialty, or if I even wanted to specialize. I'm just, was, a General Practitioner. So a qualified doctor,” Sara answers picking at her nails.

“No shit?” Emy asks.

“No shit,” I reply back, “Sara here was always the smart type. Through her ingenuity and skill combined with my brawn. Well that is how we've made it this far.”

“Matt is going to lose his shit,” Ted says as he slows down to drive around an overturned car, “because we have a whole medical area setup. It's a good little spot where you can work your magic.”

“Is Matt your leader?” I ask, though I feel dumb for doing so.

“Yeah, more or less, he got us all out alive so we kind of default to him when it comes to the major stuff. It works best this way,” Emy replies, “because I know I couldn't have made the decisions that have kept us alive. Not exactly the stuff they teach you in school.”

The drive is rather boring as we pass the random zombie and disabled car that litters the road. Before the roads became just as fucked as the rest of the world. A forty mile drive wasn't all that bad, and it still isn't in many ways. Just sometimes zombies pop out of nowhere, or a road is blocked by something you don't expect.

“Shit I don't remember this from when we came down this way a few days ago,” Emy huffs as the four of us look over the wreckage in front of us.

“Let's take a closer look,” I offer.

“Yeah we should,” Emy opens the door and the three of us follow her out. We walk out to the wreck to get a better look at it.

A former school bus lies across the road with several half-crushed bodies that are trying to claw there ways free. Yet to no avail as their fingers have grounded away to nubs trying to get out and at us. The bus itself was plated with sheet metal. Various spikes and openings allowed the former occupants the ability to attack the zombies.

“They gave the zeds hell at least,” Ted says as he looks around the wreck for a moment. With a sigh he continues, “we can move around it. Though we will be practically driving alongside the woods. So it is going to be bumpy.”

Turning to walk back something catches my attention from the bus. A slight scratching sound with a growl following it.

“Just be careful. Infected may be about,” I say as we climb back in the car. Pulling out my gun as I scan the woods to the right of the road. As Ted creeps us around the edge of the forest causing me to roll up the windows, “everyone windows up.”

The wheels of the SUV crunch over leaves and dead branches while the brakes screech as live branches scrape along my side of the car. A pair of dead hands slap against Sara's window, but nothing of concern until we climb up the ditch back onto the road.

Then a howl sounds from the bus, and this is followed by several more in reply.

“Get us the fuck out of here!” Emy slaps Ted's shoulder as we speed down the road as fast as we can accelerate.

Four infected crawl out of the bus while two others sprint towards us from the woods, and it isn't quick enough that we leave them in the dust. Though they keep chasing us until they are out of sight.

“I hate those things,” Sara lets out a happy sigh and we drive in silence for a bit.

“This is our exit,” Ted points out to me at the sign indicating the number fourteen, “we should be there in ten minutes.”

“It is going to feel good to sleep on a real bed,” Emy yawns out, “two weeks on the road. Well I guess that might not be too long compared to you two.”

“Well we did stay at some small roadside motel for a week,” I say as a crowd of zombies appear down a road Ted tries to turn on. He slams on the brakes.

“Fucking hell,” Ted curses as he turns us around, “that's the only way in.”

“Fuck that. You know there's a back way,” Emy points down the road, “just keep going the direction we were heading. Turn at that shitty dirt road. You know what I am talking about.”

“Yeah, yeah,” he replies.

I shoot a look behind me to Sara who has her crowbar out, and I take a hold of my ice pick. We turn down a dirt road but stop again as an overturned car is surrounded by zombies. An infected inside bangs against the window trying to get out.

“Dead end!” I say, “I don't want to be stuck here if we get surrounded. Get back to the road and get to the highway.”

Emy sits in shock for a moment as if she has lost herself, but she comes back as I snap my fingers in her face.

“Get it together,” I command, “mourn them later when there is time.”

“Do it Ted,” Emy covers her mouth as I watch her holding back the tears. The group, if they were in this area, are no longer. The realization getting to her for a moment. She composes herself enough to say, “we got to get out of here.”

“Goddammit,” he reverses us through several zombies until we hit the road. Whipping the car just enough once we hit asphalt and we speed past the rest of the dead.

“Just head north for now,” Emy instructs and Ted has us back on the highway in no time at all.

“They are migrating it seems,” Sara takes a cigarette from Emy and lights it up. Something I never thought I would see her do. A soft cough escapes her after she inhales for the first time.

I follow in her stead by lighting my own cigarette.

“They have run out of food in the cities,” I roll my window down to let the night air in. “So they are coming out here to find some. That's why we need a strong structure with walls, Sara. I am so sorry Ted and Emy. They were good people I am sure.”

“I can't believe that just fucking happened,” Ted pulls into an older-looking gas station. A couple of cars stand abandoned in its parking lot, and a flickering light illuminates the area. Ted jumps out of the car and punches the hood of the SUV. His frustrations ringing about the area.

“Shit we got company,” I say as three zombies stagger from under the awning. Pulling out my ice pick, Sara walks up to me with her crowbar in her hands.

“We got this,” Sara says to Emy as she walks up to Ted.

“Piece of cake,” I step up to the closest ghoul and give it an impromptu lobotomy.

Sara clobbers a zombie, and I knock the other to the ground with a bit of a shoulder check. The pick is driven into the brute's brain while Sara smashes the others brain in.

“Where were you two heading?” Emy asks as the both of us return to the SUV.

“Alaska,” I reply taking a puff off of my cigarette, “it makes sense if you ask me. Less people means less zombies and enough space for us to set up a good settlement. If we can get up there and find a place to hunker down in for the winter. That would allows us to scout out a place and clear out the frozen zombies. Then we can start building defenses, and it is better than running every goddamn day."

“If we can get up there and build some type of wall. Perhaps a good-sized cabin or building,” Ted says jumping off the hood, “we could do a lot up there. It is a hope anyways. Better than just waiting around for zombies to take a bite out of my ass.”

“Yeah life isn't always that straight forward,” I reply and take the keys from Ted, “we should see if we can get any gas from these pumps. The three of you go figure it out inside and I will pull up to the pump.”

“I will check the counter,” Ted says as the three of them head off inside, “they are always back there.”

Turning the engine on I pull the large SUV in front of the pump closest to the door. Taking one last drag off my cigarette before tossing it out the window. I scan around me to see if anything has spotted or heard us. Though I don't see anything yet.

"We're good," Sara shouts from inside.

Exiting the SUV I pop open the gas tank and walk over to open the cover. Twisting the cap out of the tank I check the digital display to see the previous numbers turn to zeros. Picking the best gas I stick the nozzle in and proceed to fill the tank up. They still haven't left the station which adds to my already heightened paranoia, and I keep looking around myself. Two zombies wander from down the street having heard my sister inside, or perhaps they could smell me on the wind.

Pulling out my pick as they come closer while the gas keeps ticking upwards. Past fifty dollars at this point, and a part of me is happy this isn't my money. With a sigh I lock the lever in place and meet up with the two zombies out in the open parking lot.

I don't even think about it anymore out here in the open. The first to get close to me ends up falling to the asphalt as I kick the side of his right kneecap. Once the second one attempts to grab me I evade his grasp and stab him in the ear. Pushing the dead zombie onto his buddy who was trying to stand. Then it is another quick stab before it is all over.

Moving back over to the gas pump to see it has stopped filling, and after a few more pumps of the lever. I remove the nozzle and I spot them exiting the building.

“What took you guys so long?” I ask.

Ted has two gas canisters while Sara has a plastic bag dangling from her arm and two cups of steaming coffee. Of course she couldn't resist, and I am sure that is what took so long. Emy has her own plastic bags and a tall boy in one hand. Going the completely opposite direction of my sister with the beer.

“I'll fill these bad boys,” Ted smiles at me and hands me a bottle of beer. With a shake of his hand for thanks I walk over to my sister.

“So did they have your flavor of coffee?” I ask as I pop the cap off of my beer to take a long drink from it.

“All coffee is my flavor now,” she responds before chugging one of the cups. Tossing it to the side almost indignant that the thing was empty.

“Since you got first shift, Tegan,” Emy hands me a bag, “there's some of those energy drinks and shots in there. Even some trucker pills. Don't go ape shit with it but you can do a nice long shift. Then when it is time for one of us to take over. You can just come to the back and crash.”

“Sounds like fun,” I climb into the driver's side and start the engine as Ted places the extra gas into the back.

“Just follow the highway,” Sara says as I pull out of the gas station, “I'll check the map later.”

Then I just drive into the night.

Emy is the first one to pass out as she downed that tall boy with relative ease and she drank a bottle of beer shortly afterward as well. I can't blame her for that though. Equal parts to forget memories and to feel normal. The same reason Sara is drinking a coffee and reading on her Kindle that she charged while I slept last night. Ted is quiet and a bit contemplative. Seems like a genuine and kind soul but doesn't have much to say. At least not so far anyways.

“What are you reading?” I ask Sara who flashes a grin at me.

“You will make fun of me,” she replies pressing the Kindle to her chest.

“Oh,” I look at the rather clear road in front of me, “now I got to know. What are you reading?”

“It is Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire. My favorite in the series,” she finishes her coffee and tosses the cup out the window.

“I read them all. Like I got addicted to them on tour,” Ted chimes in. He lights himself up a cigarette and says, “I really enjoyed The Order of the Phoenix. I also like the movie version as well. Like a wizard cold war and then it blew up.”

“Prisoner of Azkaban hands down. Never have I read something where I hated a man and then loved him like I did with Sirius Black,” I say with a grin.

"Well that one is great," Sara replies before returning to reading her book.

We grow silent as the night wears on. Sara even shuts her Kindle off and passes out curled up on the seat. Ted has nodded off leaning against the closed window. Just me and all of the non-sleeping zombies that inhabit the area.

“Come on Red Bull,” I open the plastic bag to see six Red Bulls, an assortment of energy shots, and No Doze pills. Grabbing a can I pop it open and guzzle the entire thing. 

Without a care I toss it to the side of the road and begin to drum on the steering wheel waiting for the energy to come. But even when it does come it is hard to keep the boredom and sleep away. With the only things around being groups of cars that all seem to have gathered around each exit, and zombies that dot the road. Making driving almost like a game as I avoid each one.

The sun rises to the horizon letting just a little bit of light to appear over the plains. Almost in a beautiful manner the zombies are lit up like shadow-covered paintings. Turning my attention back to the road when I spot a sign for a rest stop several kilometers down the road. With the prospect of a place to piss without squatting beside the road. I do not miss the off ramp and hold my breath as I pull down the road. Cars are lined up and down each side of the narrow street. A couple of them have zombies still within, but the glass and metal shall forever be their tomb.

The parking lot is a veritable death trap for when all this broke out. Cars locked in a battle of trying to get out but stuck in their spots for eternity. Old dried pools of blood spot about the parking lot but the bodies nowhere to be found. An eerie feeling overtakes me but - in for a penny, in for a pound - at this point.

“Wakey wakey,” I say as I park.

“Changing of the guard?” Emy yawns.

“Yeah,” I go to open the door just as a zombies slaps in a futile effort against my window. A bit shocked about how I didn't see this one as I pulled up.

“I'll get him,” Ted leaves the car and puts the ghoul out of its misery with one well-placed stab from his knife.

“Eyes open as there are a lot of places for them to hide. Don't check cars. It is a huge risk for little reward. Maybe if there is running water we can wash up a bit,” I say while exiting the SUV, "I know I could go for roadside bath."

“Emy and I will watch the car as you two go in first,” Sara says.

“If you do scavenge be careful,” I reply knowing full well that she will look for anything useful in these scattered cars. Just hope that she doesn't get overwhelmed out there.

“I'll check out the man's room and you get the lady's,” Ted pushes the door to the atrium open.

The lights buzz as they flicker on and off casting long shadows over everything. Brochures for area tourist spots litter the blood-streaked floor with bits and pieces of humans.

An atrocious smell assaults our nostrils and I have to cover my nose to prevent from gagging. We spot the source just across from us. On the far side near another pair of glass doors lies a pile of corpses three or four bodies high. Each one has shot or stab wound within their skulls.

“I think we should check out the restrooms together,” I say as the both of us head towards the man's bathroom. Bloody hand prints dot the door, and the moment we open the door we spot five zombies spread out around the room. Each one's attention is turned to us.

“Out!” I shout turning back the way we came. Another group of zombies push through the woman's bathroom door and we dodge out of the grasp. Through the glass doors I can see Emy and Sara fighting off a group of five zombies right in front of them, but there are at least ten more around.

“Emy get the SUV ready!” I shout as the keys are already in the ignition. She pushes a zombie away from her before slamming her door shut.

Sara fires at a zombie and kicks another away allowing her to close the door. The engine is already on as I slide into the backseat beside my sister, who brushes her overgrown hair out of her face.

“I guess you are pissing on the side of the road,” Sara chuckles as she hits the safety on her gun and holsters it. Emy gets us out of situation with a bit of skillful reversing and burning rubber down the ramp. Back the way we came.

“Well we know now to avoid this rest stop,” Emy says as she gets back on the highway, “we will stop up there road a bit. So we can do all we need to and check that map of yours Sara.”

“You look exhausted,” Sara says as she removes the hair out from in front of my eyes.

“I'm okay,” I reply with a halfhearted smile, “I got to be, right?”

“Right,” she returns my smile, "just remember to breath sometimes."

"I will."

The excitement from the rest stop disappears after a bit as everyone's heartbeat returns to normal.

“Okay morning stop!” Emy proclaims after several minutes of driving, “Make sure the area is decently secure. Take your pisses and whatever else.”

“I got a roll of toilet paper we can share,” Sara pulls out one of the rolls we acquired from the pharmacy, "and hand sanitizer."

The area Emy stopped us in is flat and open with a vast field right beside us. Which allows the watching of zombies to be pretty easy as long as you stay out of the tall grass. Though it doesn't leave much for privacy.

“Okay let me look at the map,” Sara says as I place a rock on each corner.

“Got a cigarette?” Ted asks, “I just ran out of them.”

“Sure,” I dig into my bag which sits on the floor of the SUV. Grabbing an unopened pack I toss them over, “we got lucky in that pharmacy.”

“So it seems,” he lights his cigarette, “so how long?”

I look down at my cigarette as he gestures at it.

With a chuckle and a small shake of my head I reply, “too damn long. I gave it up for a little less than a year when this all happened but before that I smoked for twelve years. Since I was eighteen.”

“I had giving it up as well,” he exhales looking at the thing in his hand, “but when shit hit the fan. Emy and I found ourselves in this little grocery store. They had cigarettes behind the counter and everything had already been looted but these cancer sticks. So it was something for me to do while killing time and to not think about how hungry we were. It's why Emy started.”

“Oh yeah?” I look over at the woman who is studying the map alongside my sister. With my gaze traveling over to Sara after awhile, but I turn my gaze back to Ted a moment later so I am not caught staring.

“She didn't smoke until she realized how much it helped with the hunger pangs. She thought they tasted like ass.”

“They do,” I lean against the side of the hood.

“Well I am going to refill the tank,” he snuffs his cigarette after a few more long puffs.

“Yeah,” I encourage, "I appreciate it."

“Okay so I think we made a lot of good mileage yesterday. Another three days, maybe more, and we can make it to just outside of Fairbanks,” my sister stands up. With an almost instinctive awareness she looks around her to make sure we don't have anyone sneaking up on us. She continues, “we aren't going to Fairbanks but we can continue past it. Not to mention I am sure there are plenty of good scavenging spots around there. For all we know we might meet an enclave of people who have been riding this storm out.”

“I know we got a little food right now but I think next town we hit. We should do a little house cleaning,” Emy taps her fingers on the hood. “there are four of us. If we can find a good haul we can make it all the way to Alaska. Once there then we can find a safe, defensible place.”

“Sounds like a plan,” I say, “so Emy you keep driving and wake me up whenever you guys get to a place to loot.”

“Let's do it,” Emy replies tossing the rest of her cigarette away. I take one more pull of my cigarette before flicking it at a zombie that has been creeping up after us on the road. Though my cigarette falls woefully short I enter into my seat and he is no longer a concern.

Sleep is found with ease as I make myself comfortable. At least as much as I can in the back seat. My dreams are free and I sleep as sound as I have in a long time. The driving a simple lullaby to aid me.

I don't know how long I am out as I feel someone push me on the shoulder a bit. Ted is the only one in the car and he is looking down at me.

"Time to wake up. We got a place to loot," Ted says, "another gas station. No real towns around, ya know? So we are trying out luck."

Sitting up and wiping the drool off my chin I look to see Emy and Sara already out of the car. A rather weather-worn building sits beside the car. Several signs advertising deals and specials on their goods dot the pane glass window. Gas pumps sit to the left of me, and they are just as old as the building itself.

“What time is it?” I ask getting out of the car.

This is answered by a zombie slapping upon the glass from inside the store.

“Zombie time,” Sara shoots me a grin, “I will take point.”

I remove my ice pick as I step up behind Sara with her crowbar in hand.

“No, I got this,” I reply to her and step in front of everyone. The sleep is quick to be out of my mind, and I am sharp and ready for this. Opening the door I say, “here zombie, zombie, zombie.”

Pulling the door shut and holding it firm as another two zombies appear from the darkness. The two living dead try their best to push it open but Ted helps strengthen my resolve by pressing his shoulder into the door.

“On the count of three we are going to open the door,” I say as I grip the door's handle tighter. Three zombies now bang ceaseless upon the glass, “one, two, three.”

And on my count I let the doors go allowing the zombies to crash forward with the lead zombie falling on his face. Sara smashes the first zombie's skull in and I grab another ghoul. Throwing the thing into the wall I stab my pick into their brain. Turning to see Ted standing above the other zombie as Emy dispatches of another that wandered up to see the commotion.

“Ted check to see if those gas pumps work. If they do top everything off. Emy and I will clear the inside. Sara make sure no zombies sneak up on us. Let's do it,” I say with everyone issuing their acceptance.

Emy is the first into the place with flashlight in hand. A lot of the goods that used to be here have been looted before the zombies showed up. The typical signs of violence covers the whole building. Yet as we explore the rest of the store it becomes all to clear that there are no more zombies. Even the cooler is empty, and the bathrooms are loocked.

“Clear!” I shout with Sara coming inside following my declaration.

“Even their cigarettes are mostly gone,” Emy whines as she comes around the counter, “I mean there are some cartons. Nothing good though.” She messes with a few buttons near the register and shouts for Ted to start pumping.

“Keep an eye on Ted's back,” Sara says to me, “just give me your pack. We will take everything useful from here. Cigarettes and all. Leave it barren by the time we are done.”

“Just find a box somewhere and use that as well.” I smile at her before walking towards the door, “and if there are any beers left. Take those too.”

“I did say everything.” Sara replies as I exit the store.

“Not a single rotter in sight,” I remark as I step around to the side of the building. In an attempt to stretch out the tiredness in my limbs.

“It is a pretty nice day but it is going to get colder soon,” Ted places the two gas canisters in the back. Switching the nozzle to the SUV's gas tank he sighs, “I think we are going to have to do a run into an actual town's limits. There has to be one somewhere close by. We need to get jackets, blankets, and survival gear. I just don't know how much that would put us out of our way.”

“Well you are right, and I will ask Sara to find us the closest town big enough for a sporting goods or outdoor store. I am sure there is one on the way. We got a lot of road to cover,” I pick up a rock and toss it toward the store.

“Look what I got,” Emy says in triumph as she exits the store with two boxes stacked in her arms, “still in date canned sausages. Two whole boxes in the back and there is several cases of beer too. I mean, why not right? We got the room.”

“And I will grab as many as I can,” I say rushing inside to see Sara stuffing everything useful into a box.

“Coffee, dog food, and even some oil and car stuff. Those sausages were a find as well. The beer is in the cooler as are cases of water,” Sara doesn't even look up at me as she looks at a couple of items in her hands.

With a grin I move over to her and kneel down to kiss her on the lips, “we are doing good.”

“That we are,” she replies, “now go make your butt useful.”

“Hah,” I shake my head and move over to the cooler. Inside I grab three cases of Bud Light already stacked up and I move out of the store.

“Well hot damn,” Ted says in his best rural accent, “look at all that beer. Ew, Bud Light. At least it is beer ya know? Beggars can't be choosers.”

“Okay I will start bringing out the water. Just stay out here Tegan,” Emy bounces away with a happy gait to her steps, “I got this. Just make sure the zombies don't show up.”

We load everything left inside the back of the SUV. Motor oil as well as antifreeze for the engine. Three cases of beer as well as two cases of bottled water. Two boxes of canned sausages and a box full of whatever snacks, food, and coffee left over. A plastic bag full of loose cigarette packs as well as more lighters within. With several newspapers stuffed into a bag to be great fire starter when the need arises. To top it all off a full tank of gas plus two canisters full. Our luck is finally looking up for the first time shit went to hell.

“That is a fantastic haul. I wonder how much we would have gotten out of that pharmacy,” I whistle as we close the back door of the SUV, “so who was driving?”

“I was just finishing up my shift,” Emy stretches her arms out, “I would say it is Sara's turn.”

“I can't drive,” Sara blushes a bit.

“Ted to the rescue,” he grins taking the keys from Emy, “I can take over until I can't keep my eyes open anymore.”

I climb into the passenger seat beside Ted and say, “then it will be my turn to drive. Oh Sara!”

Turning in my seat to look at her she already has the map out and folded to the particular area we are in.

“I heard you two when I was inside,” Sara smiles, “so I am going to find a town on the route. An actual decent-sized town. It is a risky thing but we are going to need that gear to survive.”

“We only have so much room in here,” Emy counters as she already has a beer open, “do you think we can fit other gear?”

“This thing has storage under the backseat as well. That is where we will keep the gear,” Ted answers as he pulls out onto the road. A pair of zombies shuffle by the SUV trying to reach us in vain. He says, “I remember the commercials for this model. So we should be good once we find a place to loot.”

“We should pass a town called Whitehorse when we get into the Yukon. Few towns in the Yukon it seems nor in Northwest Territories. Though we will only be in the Northwest for a little bit. So I think that town should do it,” Sara closes up her map.

“I played there once,” Ted says lighting himself a cigarette, “it is a decent size. So we should be cautious when we get there. Might be a horde or people or whatever.”

“It's going to be a bit before we get there,” I turn my gaze to the landscape passing by, “so get comfortable. It is going to be a long drive.”

The next day-and-a-half goes by quick and rather uneventful. No large horde of zombies, though various shambling corpses have been seen on the way. No blockages on the road, and actual food to eat and people to talk to. People Sara and I really don't know so we spend the time getting to know each other. We make a successful stop at another gas station, which only has enough fuel to fill up our tank but not the extra canisters. More than enough to get to Whitehorse though.

“Well that's pretty in a way,” I say as the river that we've been driving alongside turns into a rather impressive lake. Boats drift upon the waves, but nothing alive on the upper decks. Several exit signs for Erik Nelson Whitehorse airport are placed on the sides of the highway. While other signs have been stripped from their stands.

“That is what we are looking for,” Sara says closing the book she found at the gas station, “Up North Adventures. You see that?”

“Yeah get off at the next exit and take a right. Go down forth avenue then a left onto Strickland,” I read off the sign, “fantastic. We go in and hit the store. Grabbing everything we may need. Pack this thing to the gills.”

“I would prefer to be out of town limits when the sun comes down,” Emy tosses her cigarette out of the window. I watch her pull out that long iron of a revolver she has. A Smith & Wesson .357 long barrel, and she pops open the drum “never know what we might get into. So get your guns hot.”

“I only have four rounds,” I say pulling the car to a complete stop. Pulling my SIG Sauer 1911 Match Elite out of the holster I check the slide and turn the safety before holding it in my right hand. Using my left hand on the wheel I proceed down the off ramp.

“Some fucked up people here,” Sara says as we pass grotesque road signs. Pulled from the highway and mounted along both sides. Every inch of them are covered in blood and still twitching corpses nailed to each individual sign.

“Stop!” a voice yells before we reach the bottom. Three men dressed in hunter's camouflage each man holds a rifle in their hands.

“Easy,” I say to everyone, “just follow my lead and keep your finger on the trigger.”

“Out of the car!” the man yells at us, “don't make me say it twice.”


	3. Newly Arrived

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tegan and Co. run into a friendly gun store owner who tells the group of a warehouse that could be used as a good place to set up camp in. Yet things are never so easy.

“We don't want any trouble,” I say raising my left hand up with my palm out, “just need some supplies. Just want some cold weather gear and some tents. We will trade for them as I know there was a store in town that dealt with stuff like this.”

“All your stuff is ours anyway. I see no need to trade when you three also belong to us,” the man says and he points his gun at Ted, “now we don't need this one.”

In a blink of an eye he shoots Ted in the chest, and I bring my gun up to aim direct at the man who shot him. With a pull of the trigger I plant one of my four rounds into his chest before depositing another. Emy blows another of the men away with her hand cannon and his entire chest explodes.

“Duck!” I shout at Sara as the other man has her in his sights.

With a bit of good luck his shot is wide and Emy puts one of her .357 rounds into the man's arm followed by one into his chest. The last of them falls down dead, for now at least. They won't stay that way for long, and I don't want to be here when they come back.

“Grab their guns and search their pockets,” I order which has Emy and Sara checking through their pockets and taking their guns. Sara, after placing the firearms into the backseat, checks on Ted to check if he is alive. After a moment she stomps Ted's head in to prevent him from coming back.

We climb back into the car and I blow through the checkpoint the three dead men set up.

“Goddammit,” I punch the steering wheel, "we have no time to fuck around. No idea if there are more of them, or how many zombies heard us. So now the whole area knows we are here."

Taking a right I continue down forth avenue looking at each street sign as I pass. No zombies to see nor any type of back up for the three men. One would think that our gunfire would have gotten everyone, both human and otherwise, coming for us. Yet it is clear and hostile-free while I pull up to the rather sizable store.

“Emy,” I say as I skid into the parking lot of the store, “you and Sara go inside and I will keep the engine going. In case we need to bug out. I will shout if we have any issues. Be quick and grab only what we will need.”

“We will be back soon,” Sara says before the two of them rush through the broken glass facade of the storefront.

The entire town is an eerie quiet with the sound of the wind being the only backdrop to this post-apocalyptic place. Not a single zombie or human in sight, and I even exit the car and light up a cigarette in anticipation. Trash flies down the street like tumbleweeds in some old western.

“Something has got to happen,” I say as I exhale a cloud of smoke that dissipates into the wind.

Nothing at all, but instead of calming my nerves. I feel more paranoid than ever before because of the silence. Has this place been cleared out already, and who were those men? Obviously not good men but they couldn't have cleared this whole place. Even by shear size alone this place should be crawling with zed-heads.

“Good news,” Sara says as she pushes a cart out of the store. Emy is walking alongside her with a box in her arms.

“Yeah we got a grill that will fit nicely once out of the box,” Emy drops the box to the ground and begins to tear it open.

“A lot of coats, thermals, and skiing masks to cover our faces. We also got each of us a change of clothes and some boots. I also got gloves and goggles, we should be set. No zombies in there but something awful happened,” Sara pushes the cart up to the back of the vehicle, “people were chained in there. I don't know when they escaped but let's get the fuck out of here. We have what we need.”

I pop open the door and help load everything inside in anyway possible just to get it to fit.

“Well at least that is in there,” I say and grab a can of sausages from a box, “time to get out of here. I don't want any other visits from the neighborhood.”

Hopping into the driver's seat, and putting my meal down in the middle console. I waste no time in just exiting the town the same way I came in. A couple of those we shot are already squatting about the entrance in their fresh, infected forms. They are ignored as we speed past them and head down the Klondike Highway towards the Alaska Highway.

“That was intense!” Emy proclaims from the backseat as she lights up a cigarette, “poor Ted, though. He was all I had left of Vancouver and of the old life. Going to miss that goofy guy.”

“So pointless,” Sara chimes in as she lights up a cigarette. Only the second one I have ever seen her smoke, and it is both encouraging and disheartening to see her smoke. I understand why she does and do not fault her. She was always so adamant about how bad my habit is, however.

“Yeah,” I reply running a hand through my hair, “yeah it was.”

After several hours, and a quick stop at a gas station to refuel. I drive pass a sign declaring Alaska Border Check to be twenty kilometers away. Tossing my empty sausage can outside I readjust my position in my seat to get a bit more comfortable.

“Almost there girls,” I proclaim as the both of them have drifted off into their own worlds.

“Well it will be past midnight when we get further towards the center of Alaska. Off the banks of a river, I would think would be a good spot,” Sara says yawning and stretching her arms.

"Gun check," I roll down my window a bit for some fresh air, "I don't want to get to this border check with half-full guns."

“I only have seven rounds for my beauty,” Emy removes her gun from its holster and checks the drum. She fills the empty chambers and closes the drum before holstering it in one quick move.

“I still got a whole pouch full of twenty-twos,” I hear Sara check her gun's ammo.

“Well those are easy to find. We got you a couple boxes at the outdoor store,” Emy replies.

“Yeah I know. Just a shame they didn't have anything else,” Sara bemoans before grabbing a handful of the bullets and stuffing them in a pocket.

“This is America we are coming up to. I mean lot of hunters in the state. Should be easy to find a gun and ammo store. I am sure it would have been raided but we can still check,” I say lighting myself a cigarette, “we've had a spat of good luck lately. No reason for it to not continue.”

The border crossing isn't as big of a mess as I expected it to be. A tank sits on the American side with birds picking at the corpses that decorate it. While another dead body is being munched on by a rather bloated zombie, but it pays us no mind as we just drive on by.

“And what do you know,” I chuckle at old school American capitalism. Several billboards advertise gun and porn shops meant for truckers and hunters once we are back on the road.

“I am not surprised,” Emy shakes her head, “but at least that means they will be right off the highway. So I don't think there will be a town's worth of zeds there.”

“Twenty minutes down the road,” I repeat from the sign before I pick up speed.

“Is there any candy left?” Emy asks.

“Only the sugar-free mints and gum,” Sara replies.

“I was hoping for some chocolate. Anything other than Vienna sausages,” Emy gags.

“Better than starving,” I interject moving around a large hole in the road. Scorch marks show that something exploded there. And it was a pretty big explosion at that. Another reminder that the world isn't what it used to be anymore.

“Duh,” Emy sticks her tongue out at me, "you are master of the obvious."

Once the exit presents itself I can see the store from here. A rather discrete-looking building with Guns & Ammo written on a sign attached to the facade.

“I am going to park across the street,” I say creeping down the off ramp, “just in case.”

“Guns and ammo,” Emy says, “if there is any place that someone could hole up. It would be a place with plenty of guns and ammo.”

Once I park the SUV I pull out my gun knowing full well that there are only two rounds left. One in the chamber and one in the magazine. With a deep breath I grab the keys and exit to the sun high above.

“Eyes open,” I say as we walk across the streets. Guns in all our hands ready to fire at a moments notice, and my eyes scan the area to see a pile of smoldering corpses at the back of the parking lot. The wind is merciful today and we are upwind of the smell.

Though the second we are across the street a high-powered bullet strikes the ground several yards in front of me. I exhale as nothing ricochets off and hits me. Thanking my luck for a moment.

“What do you want?” an older man's voice comes from within the store.

“We just want some guns and ammo,” I reply holding my gun up, “we are trying to establish a community. There is no way in hell we can do this without guns, and your place has guns. Always looking to make a deal.”

“Do you have food?” he asks after a moment.

“Yes we do. We have quite a bit of food, sir,” I say taking a slow step forward, “maybe we can make a trade?”

“How can I trust you?”

“I am willing to extend some trust if you are willing to extend it to us. Truly we aren't bandits, we just survivors. If we were bandits there would have more than three and we would have already tried to get in.”

“Okay,” he replies and I can hear the lock click from here, “I will have my gun trained on you the entire time.”

“Fair enough,” I say turning to look at my two partners I nod at Sara, “you stand watch out here. I don't expect any trouble.”

“But you never know,” my sister replies to me, “I gotcha.”

“Let me do the talking,” I whisper to Emy as we walk up to the door. Entering the rather sizable and packed store stands a rather strong-looking grandpa standing behind a counter. Guns after guns cover the insides and displays with different boxes of ammo accent it all. Though the most pressing issue his the rifle he has in his hands and its barrel points in our direction.

“Guns down!” the man insists as we step into the dim light of the gun store. It is in remarkable condition as if it hasn't seen much violence at all. An older woman sits in the corner with her arms around a scared-looking young girl.

“Sir, either we both drop the guns or we just trust each other,” I begin with a firm tone to my voice. “I have food and I am sure you need it. You have guns and ammo and my people need that. Can we make a deal?”

“You want to build a community?” he asks without a hint of stress or fear in his voice.

Nodding my head, “yes. That is the goal. Find a nice strong position and just build up from there.”

“And you wouldn't do anything bad? I mean outside of what has to be done. You aren't a thief or a bandit or rapist?”

“Sir, I was training to be a cop before all this shit happened. I wanted to uphold justice and I still do,” I look over at Emy a moment before returning my gaze to the man, “I know how it is. We have all had to get our hands dirty to have made it this far. That doesn't mean we still can't be humans and try to have a life.”

“You know there's a warehouse up the road a few hours. It is near a river and a lake. Kind of out of the way, but I am sure it is full of those undead shits,” he looks over at the older woman and the girl, “I can show you. There are loads of goods up there, or at least was. Plus only one way in by road and miles of wilderness around. Once the zombies are gone its a good place to hole up.”

“I hate to turn helpful folk away as we need you all but we don't have room in the car,” I frown at the man.

“I got a pickup truck out back and it is loaded with gas as I just filled it yesterday down the ways,” he gives me a halfhearted smile. “I think we need to bring all the guns and ammo we can fit into the truck. Do you mind if my wife and granddaughter go in the SUV? I mean it is a better idea than staying here waiting for nothing.”

“Not at all. I will go with you while Emy and Sara will ride with them,” I holster my gun and look over at Emy, “go get Sara. We got some work ahead of us and then a drive. So the faster this gets done the better.”

“Sounds good. I will get Sara and find me some .357s then start loading up,” Emy replies.

“Got a hundred rounds,” the man walks behind the counter and grabs several boxes, “all yours and there might be one or two boxes out in display. By the way that's a beauty of a gun you got there too, ma'am.”

“Oh thanks but please don't call me ma'am. I am Emy,” she nods at the man before exiting the store, “Sara come here.”

“I am Tegan and that is Sara coming in,” I smile at the two of them while they walk back in.

“It is clear out there. No zeds or people,” Sara enters and her eyes go wide at all the guns, “whoa. Nice collection, sir.” 

“Call me Russ and I got a lot of ammo to go with these guns as well,” the old man chuckles as he scratches at his white beard, “so Tegan what are you using?”

“This 1911,” I place down on the counter, “I have two 9mm hollow point rounds left. Before today I had four and I was riding on those four for at least a couple weeks.”

“I got a lot that as well as 22s, most other caliber and shot sizes. Even something pretty amazing,” he grabs a large cardboard box. Placing it on top of the counter he opens it where I spot the most beautiful gun I have ever seen in my life.

“Damn,” I say in awe as I take a hold of the black synthetic grip. The barrel is a matte black finish with a sleek shape and .44 Magnum etched into the barrel. Looking down the sight for a moment towards a sign he has setup behind him, and it is the most perfect gun I have every seen. It is heavy and I bet it has a hell of a kick when fired, and I can't wait to get that chance.

“That is a Smith & Wesson .44 Magnum Stealth Hunter. She is a very majestic gun. I am giving it to you as an investment. Protect me and my family and we will help you in anyway we can,” he grins at me and points at the ammo boxes, “there's fifty in each box and ten boxes. I want to give you this before we load up. I know we just met but you seem like a genuine and nice person. Haven't seen someone like that since Z-Day, ya know? It is why I didn't just shoot at you right away. You just got this aura about you.”

“Thank you,” I offer my hand to him.

“Russ Williams and that is my wife Ann. While that is my beautiful granddaughter Katherine,” he points back to them. Where Katherine is dressed in a leather jacket several sizes too big for her, and though stained by blood it is still in good condition. While his wife holsters her gun and gives me a smile.

Grabbing the gun from me he loads six rounds into the drum and offers it back to me, “I adjusted the sights myself. You can hit an eagle from a mile away.”

“Let's start loading up,” I take the gun from the man. After enjoying the weight of it in my hand for a bit I holster it with a renewed sense of purpose. “How did you not get looted?”

“I was willing to protect what is mine and my family. The beasts got,” he looks over at his wife who is talking to Sara. With a smile on his face he says, “Ann and Sara can you please take Katherine out to the car? And bring it closer, will ya? No need to be so far away.”

“Tegan we have an armory now,” Emy says as she brings boxes of ammo out to the back where the pickup truck resides.

“I lost my daughter and son-in-law. Two good Christian people. So a few weeks to a month after it all started a group of men comes up and demands I let them take the shop and my granddaughter. I gave my shotgun a lot of work that day,” he grabs a bag from under the counter and begins to load all the hand guns. I start on the rifles he has mounted on the wall.

“What about food?” I place several rifles down on the counter.

“My wife is a hell of a good shot,” he looks over at me, “and better than me. Don't tell her I said that, though. It would go to her head. So I would go out and scavenge every day and let Ann protect the store. Started with some houses and grocery stores in the area. Trapped a little bit and even did some hunting when I could. Whatever it took to survive.”

“Good work,” I reply.

“Thanks, we all just did what we could.”

We don't miss a single gun with fifteen handguns, two of them magnums. Five rifles, several shotguns, and three semi-automatic rifles. Once they are all in the back of the truck we cover it with a tarp and tie it all down. Before stuffing a lot more rope, a pair of bolt cutters, and several thick locks.

“That's it!” Russ shouts as he locks up the store. “Not a single bullet or gun left in there. Some other stuff we may come back for at some point but nothing we need right now. Can you drive stick?”

“Yes I can,” I catch the keys he tosses at me.

We both climb into the truck, and with ease I drive it to the front of the store. Emy is talking with the girl, Katherine, while Sara and Ann smoke cigarettes together. A not-so-sisterly side of me wants to tease her about the smoking, but I won't and I just say, “hey,” as I pull up.

"Hey," Sara replies to me as everyone comes to gather around.

“Okay just follow Russ and I,” I grab my pack of cigarettes out of my pocket and Russ just stares at me.

“I haven't had a smoke in months,” the old man practically begs, “may I have one?”

“Sure,” I pull one out for myself and hand him the pack, “we have quite a bit in the car.”

“Here, take mine,” Sara walks over to hand my her pack, “just let us get inside the car and we will follow you two.”

“See you there,” I smile at her and I look over at Russ, “keep my old pack.”

“Good I prefer full flavor over lights anyways,” he grunts at me.

After watching everyone get into the dependable and sturdy SUV that has been our workhorse the entire trip. I pull out to the road and make my way back onto the highway.

“So how far we got?” I ask taking a long drag from my cigarette.

“Two, maybe three hours, give or take. I know the exit though and how to get there after we get off,” he replies as smoke exits from his nose, “sorry about almost shooting you. Once I met you face-to-face I could tell my instincts were right in not actually shooting you.”

“Well I am glad you decided to come. I can't promise it will work out and it will be hard work.”

“Of course it will be hard work. Trying to make a livable place in a world that isn't livable anymore? Fuck, hard work is underestimating it,” he scoffs and gives me an almost jolly smile, “but I am willing to give it a shot. That girl deserves some type of place to call home. To see your mother brother eaten by your father. That's nothing a girl her age should see.”

“No one should see that,” I exhale some smoke while trying to not even imagine what she saw.

The tranquil landscape is marred by random scenes of carnage and chaos. As if everyone experienced their own bit of the new world order while traveling. Most of them are leaving, going towards Canada. Few actually heading our way towards the interior of Alaska. Then again it could just be the ones heading this way were more prepared.

Night has fallen as the few hours turn into five and I am running on reserves at the moment. Driving for so long and without much sleep. None since Ted's unfortunate death, and only a couple hours the night before.

“So is that young woman your sister?” Russ ask breaking the silence.

“Sara?” I reply, “oh yeah. We are twins. It was luck that she and I are going through this together. I couldn't keep myself together if I wasn't with her.”

“Nah not luck,” he stares out into the night, “it was supposed to happen. My faith isn't what it used to be from the utter inhumane shit I have seen since this all started. Yet those infected are demons in nearly every since of the word. So it isn't hard to believe that you and Sara are on this road together for a reason.”

“I am sure you are right,” I reply as I stifle a yawn.

“There,” Russ says as we pass a sign, “that's our exit.”

Pulling to the side a bit I stop the truck. The SUV rolls to a stop beside us.

Sara rolls her window down and says, “why did we stop?”

“This exit coming up is our road. I want to talk about a game plan before we head in,” I respond as I exit the truck. As everyone exits I say, “come meet at the back of the truck so we can be armed before getting there.”

“I don't know what we are going to encounter there," Russ says as he comes towards the back of the truck. He unties a rope and flips the tarp up,"I think handguns will suffice for tonight, and my shotgun of course."

“Here,” I pull out my old 1911 9mm and hand it to Sara. Grabbing a couple full magazines I hand those over to my sister as well, “it has a lot more kick than that snub nose you got. So keep a firm grip upon it.”

She grabs the smaller gun from its holster and places it in the back of the truck. After she ejects the almost empty magazine inside her new gun and tosses it into the truck. Grabbing one of the magazines she placed in her jacket she slides a full magazine in.

“Awesome,” she replies holstering the 1911.

“Emy and Tegan you both have those hand cannons but you need to bring some ammo just in case. Carrying it in your pockets isn't that romantic either,” he grins as he reaches under the tarp. After a moment of rummaging around he pulls out two leather belts with matching holsters attached to them. One is the natural color of the leather while the other is black, but they both share in the bullet loops across the front.

“Now those are bad ass,” Emy says as she grabs the black one.

Not that I care as I wanted the natural tan anyways.

“So twenty bullets a piece, eh?” I say as I am handed a box of .44 Magnum rounds, “not bad at all.”

Emy grabs a box of .357 rounds and we both load up the belts.

“There is no one around and the zombies out in the wilderness won't be able to find us with the echoes off the mountains. So guns aren't the worst idea but remember we also have a limited supply. Now if it is infected I considered the rounds worth it. Otherwise let's try to use our melee weapons,” Russ grabs a shotgun and pockets several shells.

“I want the Beretta,” Ann speaks up, “no one is getting my grand baby.”

Turning my attention to the car to see Katherine with her head leaning back against the seat asleep. Her brown hair is in a mess and it seems, like all us, that she hasn't had a haircut in a longtime. Yet she doesn't look like a kid much anymore. Though this fuels me in my want to settle down.

“Ann and Sara you stay with Katherine. Keep an eye out for anything, and if shit goes wrong then bug out,” I say as authority tints my voice, “got it?”

“Yeah,” Sara nods her head.

“Emy and Russ we go in and clear out the immediate area around the building. Then let's try to lure any inside out. Once we complete that then we do mop up. Go in and just end the rest. Does this place have a fence?” I look over at Russ.

“Yes chain-link fence. I can't say that the fence is still stable or useful at the moment, but it is a start,” he replies to me.

“Good. Let's do this,” I say before we all pile back into our respective vehicles and I lead the way with Russ's directions. Exiting off the highway to a dark country road where we drive for a little bit before Russ indicates a small road almost hidden from view.

Turning down it to see, thanks to the headlights, that several zombies populate the road. Wandering around the forested avenue. Though they are no match for the truck as I slam into one. It's body falling under the wheels after I hit him.

“There it is!” the old man says point to a rather large building. It sits within the confines of a tall barbed-wire topped chain-link fence. A handful of zombies populate both the interior of the fence and outside of it as well.

Russ hops out of the truck and fires at a zombie a yard or so away from him. His aim is dead on as the bullet penetrates the thing's skull before exiting. A zombie bangs against the inside of the gate trying to get to us. In an effort to test my new gun I remove the it from my new holster and I aim it at the zombie's chest. With a pull of the trigger a loud roar comes from the gun, and it takes all my strength to make sure it doesn't kick back into my face.

“Goddamn,” I remark as what is left of the zombie twitches around on the ground, “the whole country heard that. Yet it did the job.”

Russ grabs the bolt cutters and pops open the gate. Holstering my gun I grab my ice pick and wait for the first zombies to show up. Though our wait is broken as Sara fires her gun and we all turn to look at her.

“I got it,” she fires another round into a zombie.

I look back toward the warehouse. Several unused docking bays for trucks direct in front of us, and several zombies shamble their way to feast upon us. To the right are several cars and trucks in various condition. While to the left is a set of stairs that lead up to a door that seems to go to offices.

“Emy you go left and clear out the upstairs. Watch your ass on the stairs. I will check out the docking bay and see if I can get one of those shutters open,” I look over at Russ, “clear the cars then join me. Can you do that?”

“Oh yeah,” he levels his shotgun at the zombies heading toward us. After a moment he fires sending the three of them down to the ground. Emy and I finish them up before the feisty brunette heads off towards the metal stairs.

“I got you,” I run up to a zombie standing between two of the docking piers. All he can do is moan before I end his existence. Checking between the other piers to find only trash and a couple long dead animals.

Pulling myself up onto the rough concrete platforms I pull out my gun as a noise catches my attention. Scratching and a low growling come from inside the metal doors. Then a squeaking has me looking up at Emy who opens the door upstairs.

A loud, excited howl emits from inside the building and there is a shattering of glass. Emy slams the door shut as she begins to run down the stairs. Russ comes hauling ass from around the corner and he sets eyes on me for a split-second. He turns around and fires his shotgun into an infected three steps right behind him.

“Shit,” he says just as a loud banging comes from the door upstairs.

“Emy,” I sprint over towards her as she jumps off the stairs. Yet the door shatters under the force of a large, menacing infected. A bodybuilder or soldier in his former life, but now an unholy beast that jumps onto the railing. Then with a loud roar it lunges towards Emy.

As fast as I can I run to try and somehow prevent my friend from getting tackled yet I am just not quick enough. I am right behind the beast as they land and I aim my revolver at its back. A moment later my gun roars to life once again and obliterates it. Blood and gore shoot over my friend as the infected dies several feet away from us.

“Thanks,” she grabs my offered hand and I yank her up, “there are more inside.”

“Back to the vehicles!” I shout to Russ, “we can let them come for us.”

“Infected!?” Sara shouts at me as the three of us arrive.

The sound of something running follows a ear-piercing roar. Emy turns around and aims her gun for a moment. Just as it gets close to us she blows it's left leg off, and it tumbles head over heels to land a foot or so in front of me. With three quick strikes from the hilt of my gun it is dead.

“Just keep the car ready to go,” I say as another howl comes from within the building.

“I can't,” Sara comes up to me, “it doesn't start. Won't even turn over and I have no idea what the hell is wrong with it.”

“What's wrong with it?” Emy keeps her eyes peeled as another demon rushes out of the upstairs doorway, “we drove it for a few thousand miles.”

“Just protect Ann and Katherine,” I say as Ann fires into a zombie creeping through the underbrush.

Russ lays another slug into an infected sending it down to the ground, “I am going to get a rifle. Hold on.”

He disappears back behind the truck as a rotter creeps out from around the fence. Holstering my gun I place a pick into the thing's forehead just as Emy's .357 roars to life.

“Fuck,” she curses before firing again. The infected groans and runs face first into the grill of the truck as it dies. Emy runs a hand through her shoulder-length hair, “that almost got bad.”

“Still might be more infected in there,” I say as Russ walks back up to us. He's not alone as he carries a rather large scoped-rifle, “probably a group of survivors that just got unlucky.”

“And you think you can do better?” Emy scoffs as she reloads her gun.

“Yeah,” I reply replacing the lost bullets into the drum of my gun, “because we aren't going to hide behind our walls. We are going to fucking thrive,” I stare at her for a moment before walking towards the building, “come on. We need to lure the rest out for Russ to snipe.”

Jogging over to the stairs I turn to Emy and bang upon the metal contraption. Trying to make as much noise and vibrations I can. Without hesitation a blood-covered former woman runs onto the top of the stairs. She stares down at us with cold dead eyes, and a snarl on what is left of her lips. A somewhat subdued boom is followed by her skull exploding into a dull crimson mess. Her body slumps forward and slides down the stairs.

“Suck on that,” the old man hollers as I hear him eject the spent casing.

Another infected comes running from the docking bay and Emy doesn't even think about it. She steadies herself and sends the thing down to it's back from the sheer force of her gun. She jogs up to him and stomps its skull in just to finish the task.

Ten minutes later I am reloading my gun as Emy jogs off towards the parking lot to check for anymore around the building.

Russ is chuckling at me while walking up to me, “I served as a sniper in the Marines a long time ago. That was a bit fun.”

“I am getting worried about you,” I light myself up a cigarette and after a puff he takes it out of my mouth.

“This is just like war. You have to mask the horrible shit or it will eat you alive,” he takes a long draw from my cigarette. He takes another hit before handing it back, “soldiers-in-arms now. The ultimate war, in a way. Life versus death.”

“The perimeter is clear and the fence is still sturdy,” Emy jogs up to the two of us, “I am sure there are still rotters inside. They are pretty loud.”

Several loud bangs issue from the docking bay, and I stroll over to them with no rush in my steps. Once we are on the concrete walkways I hand Emy my smoke. The zombies moaning and beating the metal shutters causes me to take a deep breath. With all the force I can muster I yank the shutter up where a wall of zombies all try to force their way out at the same time.

“Off the docking bay!” I jump the seven feet to the ground and run back towards the gate. Emy and Russ come up beside me where he can kneel to get a better shot.

With practiced precision and accuracy he puts a bullet into almost every zombie that exits. The rest are taken down by Emy and I with our hand-to-hand weapons. As the last zombie falls I let out a loud sigh.

"Finished," I stand up from my position beside a dead body, "let's bring everything in."

The truck is driven into the fence thanks to Emy. All us, even the young Katherine, push the broken SUV into the compound. As we all agreed that the supplies inside that vehicle needed to be locked behind the gate and put inside.

After the gate gets locked by a thick chain and lock. We stand in a circle using the headlights to illuminate inside the building as with the shutters all rolled up. Each one of us except for the preteen girl is smoking a cigarette.

“Okay Ann stay with Katherine and if any zeds come to the fence,” I say handing her my ice pick, "kindly remove them please."

“Will do,” she replies her voice husky from the years of smoking.

“Since Russ has the shotgun you take point while Emy will watch your back. Be slow in there as there are a lot of places for these fuckers to hide. Sara and I will clear out the offices. Once done then drag all the bodies out,” I order before Sara and I head to the rickety metal stairs.

The whole think shakes as we walk up but it still feels sturdy and anchored. I remove my ice pick as I get close to the doorway.

“Becoming quite the leader aren't you?” Sara quips as I step into the darkness. My sister brings up her flashlight to show bloody shoe prints covering the thin carpet. The prints lead to the far door on the left, but I step over to the close door.

“Do you not approve?” I reply as I open the door to spot an overturned desk and quite a bit of dried blood that has stained the carpet. A tipped over cabinet has caused papers and folders to litter everywhere. With a sigh I close the door, "clear."

“Oh I do approve actually,” Sara pops open the far door but she says, "clear."

“Clear!” I yell down at Emy and Russ catching their attention.

The brunette looks up at me as she replies, "haven't seen anything in here. Except for a body and a lot of untouched wooden crates. Huge ones. We got a good supply of ready lumber."

“That is good news. Just check over and I will be down to help,” I turn to look at Sara and say, “can you make a good place for Katherine to sleep? I guess all us to sleep.”

“Sure,” she replies before giving me a quick kiss on the lips, "I've been waiting for that for days."

I don't reply as I make my way back down with a bit of pep in my step. Not even dwelling on the fact that disgusting and decayed bodies will cover me in their gore soon.

“Dirty work,” Emy groans as she pulls a body out onto the docking bay.

"I agree," I say moving to pick up the legs of the body, "so let's get them over by the truck."

The three of us pick up or drag every corpse, torso, legs, or anything that was once a human. Most of my shirt and almost every bit of my arms are caked in a layer of blood. Of which Sara walks up to me with a damp towel.

“Can we talk for a second?” Sara asks.

"Yeah let me clean up and talk to the guys for a moment," I begin to get the blood off of me.

Once I am done I light up a cigarette and toss the towel onto the SUV's hood.

"Alright," I say stepping up to Russ and Emy. Who aren't covered in as much blood as I am. Their attention is turned to me as I continue, "I want to burn the bodies outside the walls. It doesn't have to be far. So I am going to go out and get it done. The sun is going to be up soon and I want two people on at all times."

“You sure you should be doing it alone?” Russ scratches his white beard a moment, “Emy can keep this place safe while we are just outside the gates. Hell she doesn't even need to lock it while we are gone.”

“Okay you convinced me. Get that ammo out and inside. I will help load the bodies. Just need to see what Sara wants,” I turn away from them and jog down to the crates where Sara is leaning against the wall.

“I feel like we haven't had a moment together in sometime,” Sara says as I approach her. The crates are more than tall enough to hide us. She grabs my face and pulls me into a kiss so passionate I feel my breath getting caught. After a few moments she pulls back with a grin on her face, “go finish up so you can sleep a little.”

“Yeah,” I wipe my lips with the back of my hand, “good night, Sasa.”

“Good morning is what you should say, Tee,” she points at the sun breaking over the horizon. A beautiful medley of yellows, reds, and oranges cutting over the mountain and the tops of trees. The tendrils of light reaching out towards us.

"Well I will be back," I say before kissing her forehead, “I will say that instead.”

Russ and Emy have the tarp off the truck as I come up on them. They have already loaded a couple corpses onto the bed. We don't say a word as I move by them and to grab a half-full gas canister from behind the back seat of the SUV. I place it in the bed beside the pile and grab the last body with Russ and soon I am slamming the tailgate closed.

“Twenty or so zombies and five on top of that for dead bodies,” I say climbing into the driver's side, "and a handful of infected."

“Sounds about right,” the old man shuts the door with a weary groan, "we did well. Every single one of us. That many of those horrible things and no casualties."

Emy opens the gate for us and I turn into the woods once I am through them. Only going several yards deep before I bring the truck to a halt. Russ, with a great heave, pushes everything off of the bed. He grabs the side of the truck as I pull up a bit. He grabs the gas canister before dousing the pile. I step out of the truck and toss my cigarette butt onto the pile.

In a morbid, surreal way it is beautiful watching the flames sprout out of those that once tried to kill us. 

“Well this is something,” I say after a moment. The smell of burning flesh comes with an almost sickly-sweet, alluring undertone.

He takes a sniff of the air and sighs, “smells like home.”

“Come on,” I head back to the truck. Once the both of us are in I back out over the bodies as quick as I can. Smiling, satisfied knowing that the fire still rages and it is too wet out to actually catch anything on fire.

When I am back on the road Emy opens the gate and I drive inside. Exhausted, sore, but happy at the result of the past twenty-four hours. A lot more lies ahead of me, but for now I am done.

“I can take watch,” Russ offers with a shake of my hand, “you look exhausted. Go get a few hours..”

“You sure?” I ask as a zombie walks up to the fence.

The old man pulls a knife from his boot and digs it into the thing's skull. He says, “yeah I got a few more hours left in me.”

"And I will do lookout from atop the truck. It is a little elevation at least," Emy lights herself a cigarette. The bags under her eyes betray her exhaustion, but I don't fight her or Russ.

So after saying my farewells I climb up the stairs and find a clean piece of floor in between Sara and Katherine. My eyes drift close for another dreamless night of rest.


	4. New Arrivals And Supplies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With more people comes the ability to finish tasks quicker; defend your home better; and much more. Yet this also means one needs more supplies. Tegan, Emy, and Sara make a run to a country hospital so Sara can have a fully stocked medical area. Yet little do they know that everything doesn't go according to plan.

July 1st – Year One – Two Weeks Later

“Tegan!” Russ yells from outside, "get down here!"

“We got company!” Emy joins in his shouting.

Waking up from my position in the office furthest from the doorway leading outside. Their words register with me and I stand up from the floor. Grabbing my belt with my gun still in the holster so I can wrap it around my waist. Pulling it tight against me.

My eyes adjust as I step onto the metal platform with the sun shining so bright. A rather large box truck comes barreling down the road toward our wood and cement reinforced walls. Something that took us over a week to finish. Ann and Katherine line up at a gun hole the furthest from the gate. Both of them holding pistols in their hands.

Emy and Sara have worked with Russ in learning how to take care of and use a rifle properly. Each one of them stands in front of a gun hole with the barrels of their rifles resting on the wood. Despite our lack of advanced engineering concepts we built ourselves a pretty sturdy wall. Yet I doubt it will stand up to a truck that size ramming it.

Before the truck can hit our gate the driver slams on the brakes which stops just a few yards shy from our gate. I remove my gun from its holster as I walk down the stairs. Russ talks to this woman but I can't exactly hear what is said until I am closer.

“Please,” a woman begs from inside the cab, “we need a place to stay. If just for a little while.”

“Who are you?” I ask as I step up to the gate. My hand on the hilt of my gun.

“I'm Alison and there are eight of us,” she continues stepping out of the cab with her hands up in the air, “we had a settlement but it got overran. We were the only ones to survive. I know a safe place doesn't come free. All of us will carry our own weight. We need some place to stay, please, you know how it is out there.”

“Everyone come out of the truck and I want to see your hands,” I shout loud enough to make my intentions clear.

Six people come from out the back while another comes out the driver's side, and all look as if they have been through hell. Armed but not presenting them. In fact everyone does as they told.

“We need more people here, but there will be no freeloaders. With more people means more supplies, food, anything we can get. My name is Tegan and I run this little place with the help of everyone here. I go out on runs and I have my own watch time. I do my duty like everyone else here. So tell me what is your name and what you can provide for our little community.”

“Stacy,” a blonde woman with a backpack hanging off her shoulders and a weary look in her eyes. She says, “I was going for my masters in architecture. I can help reinforce and construct new buildings. I am also a pretty decent cook as it is, was a hobby of mine.”

“Ryan,” the man beside her chimes in, “I was a handyman before all this happened. At our other place I helped Stacy and I am pretty good with a gun.”

Each one of them goes through their qualifications and everyone seems to have something useful to offer. Plenty of them with gun and hunting experience as well. Though new people means more runs we will actually have a group of people to do runs with.

"Emy and Russ come here," I say walking away from the gate for a moment, "what do you two think?"

"We can always use more people," Russ begins, "and the fact that they didn't try to shoot us or run the gate through. When they could have done both without much effort. Has me thinking they are legit."

"I don't think we should just be letting people in. What if they are bad?" Emy lowers her rifle, "how do we know they are to be trusted?"

"We won't know until we give them a shot," Russ adds looking over his shoulder at the people, "we can always make them leave if we have to."

"I agree," I say after a moment to consider everything, "we need more people plus they have an actual architect."

"That's going to be a huge boon," Russ walks away back over to the gate.

"I don't like this," Emy says before walking alongside me to the gate.

“Alright you guys can come in,” I unlock the gate and pull it open. We all part to let the truck and new people who continue to thank me as they pass. “We have a whole warehouse but the living area is basic for now. Russ will show you where mattresses and furniture can be found to use.”

“You know, Tegan,” Emy begins after she shuts and locks the gate, “we are going to have to do a food run today with all the new mouths. From there we can devise more regular runs for all kinds of supplies. At least if these people are trustworthy we can start making this place into something more."

"That is why we had to take them in."

"Doesn't mean I have to like it," 

“I want to help,” the blonde from before steps up to the two of us, “our last place didn't fail because of our walls or buildings failing. It fell because of a lack of protocols as someone didn't stay at the gate all the time. So we can harden this place up with ease.”

“There is always someone here at the gate, no need to worry about that. And if you want to help then figure out another way to strengthen the walls and warehouse. Maybe come up with additions as well. Any ideas run them through either me, Emy or the old man,” I light up a cigarette, "this is Emy by the way. She is my right hand."

The woman looks thoughtful for a moment and nods her head, “alright. We can shore up defenses and make this place great. After that we can start on setting up different areas.”

“Yeah Sara has taken over one of the offices upstairs as her own little spot. But I am sure she will need more space,” I reply watching the new arrivals empty wood and other building supplies from the truck. With an exhale of smoke I say, “where did you get that at?”

“We took it from a home improvement store. We didn't know if there would be shelter where ever we ended up. Now we can use it here,” Stacy turns to walk over to the warehouse, “I will tell you when I got something. A pleasure meet you two.”

“I will watch the gate. Go see how everything is going and rest too,” I slap her on the shoulder, “I appreciate all the work you've been doing.”

“For the good of all, right?” she gives me a half-smile before walking away.

A few zombies bang against the fence and wood hopelessly but they don't concern me as much as the new residents. They seem alright and genuine, but never know until shit hits the fan.

Leaning against the rough wood I watch the road. red fox trots into the middle of the dusty old street. With an almost gleam of intelligence it seems to recognize me yet doesn't consider me a threat. Pawing at the road as his ears twitches it begins to chew on something when a zombie steps out of the woods following behind the animal.

A part of me wants to run out there and scare the fox and kill the rotter. But I find myself in hopeless naivety of this fox's will to survive. When the rotter lunges and tries to grab the animal it had no hope of catching it. The fox just trots across the road leaving the undead beast squirming in the road. Not even breaking a sweat as it so easily evades the thing.

“We need to do something about medical supplies and food,” Sara's voice full of the irritation she now sends my way. I can even feel that glare of hers and I sigh.

“I know. It is the same thing you've been saying for days. I get it, Sara, and now we have people to do it in a bigger way,” I turn to face my sister.

She still looks as beautiful as the day I fell in love with her. Though the last six months have aged her features a bit I think it adds to her then subtract. Her face softens up a bit and she rubs her forehead.

“Well I got a list of what we are going to need,” Sara sighs and takes my cigarette from it. After taking a few hits she stomps it out, “I am going to have to go with you. No one is going to know the stuff like I do. Less time there the better chance we have to survive.”

“Do you have a good place for us to go?” I ask knowing full well she wouldn't come to me without one.

“Two hours away from here, give or take,” Sara pulls out her map with it already folded to the location, “is a country hospital. No idea the name of the thing but there isn't a soul around there. A few homes and a scattering of other things. I have a feeling this place has yet to be looted All us are going to die without at least a basic setup. Katherine is still sick as well, and this can go a long way to helping end that.”

“We need to talk to Emy and Russ before anything gets decided,” I reply to Sara.

“Good because here they come.”

As if able to read my mind the two of them are walking towards us. Chatting between each other and smiling while sharing a cigarette.

“So, boss,” Russ begins as he hands his cigarette to Emy, “these people are pretty cool. That Stacy woman is getting them to put together all the furniture that still needs to be put together. On top of that she told me of the store they got all the building supplies from. Less then half an hour away, and I know exactly where it is. A plaza that also has a grocery store and a few restaurants. So my idea is this. I know home improvement stores. They will have working fridges and freezers. Generators as well. I mean we need to do this. Like, today. I got a whole crew together to do this.”

“We need to go to the hospital and get actual medical supplies,” Sara protests waving the folded map at me, "food is important I know it is. Without medicine, sterile tools, disinfectant, and other items. The simplest of injuries will kill us."

“Okay well we have to do both of them today. Which is possible with five or six hours of sun left,” I step forward as I try to play it out in my mind, “I got it. A large group needs to go with Russ so they can lift and get everything they need. Which means they get the box truck as well. Sara, Emy, and I will take your pickup to the hospital”

“Leave the whole place to Ann?” Emy spits onto the ground.

“She may seem quiet but Ann can handle any troublemakers and zombies,” Russ nods his head, “I will give her the key to the armory. Just in case, but I don't think anything will happen. These are good people. My gut tells me so.”

“We need to get a move on it if we want to be back before sundown. I suppose this will be the ultimate trust test,” Sara walks over to the truck and tosses the map into the cab. She pulls her pack of light cigarettes and sparks it up.

“You three good on ammo?” Russ asks and give him an affirmative, “good. Let me talk to Ann and I will be back. Do not leave until I get back, alright?”

“We can wait for you,” I reply leaning against Russ's truck.

“Let's take the tarp just in case it decides to rain,” Sara pulls out her list and unfolds it, “get some boxes too but leave most for Russ.”

The three of us load the tarp and some length of ropes to tie it down. Four boxes weighed down by a couple bricks to keep it from flying away on the journey.

"Ugh it is going to get nasty out here," I light myself a cigarette before stretching my arms above my head. With a sigh I say, "I hope the weather doesn't follow us. Bad enough we don't know what's going to be there, but if we get blinded by this."

“This is happening regardless. All three of us have been in the thick of it since shit went down. If we can get half of this list,” Sara lets out a large cloud of smoke that loses itself in the wind, “we will be set. If we can get them all then it will be a miracle. Nearly perfect.”

“Nearly?” Emy slams the tailgate close.

“Well I can't do complicated surgeries but damn near anything else yeah,” Sara replies to the woman.

“Here they come,” I say watching Russ and Ann come towards us. Katherine darts off in front of them and she finds a nice place in the shade. Sitting in the grass finding herself lost in one of Sara's books. My gaze turns to my sister who just gives me a smile.

“I might have exaggerated her condition but we do need everything on the list,” Sara tosses her cigarette butt.

“I will make sure everything is standing when you three get back,” Ann smiles at us. Her attention turns to Sara and gives my sister a hug, “thank you for helping Katherine get through that. She is all I have left of my family and I was afraid I might have lost her.”

“I am glad to see that she is out and feeling better,” Sara replies with a smile on her face.

“Well time is running so let's get this over with,” Russ hands the truck keys to me, “be safe out there. You three might make it back before I do as I am going to have the crew filling the truck to the brim. Though, maybe not. Can never be too sure of what is out there. See you soon.”

"We'll all be back in no time," I nod at him.

“I'll do the first set of driving,” Emy takes the keys from me, “and Doc Sara can sit in the middle with the map. Big Iron there can sit beside the window.”

“My afternoon spent between you two,” Sara climbs into the middle of the bench seats, “well let's do it.”

“We will see you guys soon,” I say climbing into the passenger seat.

After we all give another round of farewells Ann opens the gate which allows Emy, and the rest of us, to leave.

“We need to head west and north on the Alaska Highway,” Sara reads her map. While Emy pulls off our little road and onto the street that leads to the highway.

“So who wants to bet it won't be as easy as going in and taking what we want?” the shoulder-length brunette lights up a cigarette with a sigh, “if it is a country hospital than it shouldn't be too big. Yet never know what might be in there. I expect a lot of zombies.”

“I want that more than fending off other humans,” I reply as I light another cigarette. Ever since we got to Alaska I've smoked more than ever but I also feel better than I have in a long time.

My gaze turns to the dark clouds that have moved in above us. Effectively cutting off all the sun and a sense of dread fills me. I don't know if it is the impending storm or something else. It just feels a bit off in my gut, though I do not voice my concern. No need to make the other two just as paranoid and jumpy as I am.

“If it is just zombies we got this,” Sara says as she brings up an audio cassette, “some mix tape that I found in the warehouse. Haven't gotten a chance to use it yet but this truck here has a player. We could just blast it till all the zombies come out.”

“And attract every other zombie in the area?” Emy retorts, “it would be jumping from the frying pan and into the fire.”

“Can we listen to it then?” Sara asks giving our comrade her best puppy dog look.

“Sure, I don't care. It is better than listening to nothing,” Emy shrugs her shoulders.

My sister pushes the plastic cassette into the radio and turns the volume up a bit. A twangy guitar comes over the speakers and I don't even let it play. I eject the thing before tossing it into the glove box.

“I'll be goddamned if I am listening to two hours of country. And before having to face down a building full of zeds as well?” I look back out to the side of the road. My elbowing hanging out as I pull on my cigarette, “I will listen to anything. Anything at all, but not that.”

“I agree with that,” Emy increases our speed as we pass by a group of infected. An odd sight in midday, even if it is dark from the water-sodden clouds. Though as we pass by a still smoking church bus painted in an inconceivable amount of blood and human remains. The license plate catches my eye before we completely pass it and I can't believe it: South Carolina, USA.

“Haven't seen a group of infected like that in a long time,” Sara quips as we leave them in our dust.

“Me neither,” I reply watching them disappear in the side view mirror, “makes me think a bit. That there are more people up then I thought.”

“Or they all had the same idea,” Emy turns the wipers on as a light rain falls, “that bus was from South Carolina.”

“I saw that," I reply.

“Well that means others had the same thought. Come up here and try to establish somewhere. At least two other groups here and we took one in,” Emy tosses her cigarette out the window.

“What are you saying?” I ask looking at her. Sara pretends to ignore my gaze as she knows to stay out.

“You know I respect you, Tegan,” Emy begins and this causes Sara to sigh, “but how do you know those people won't try anything? I mean Ann is there by herself, right now. I am sure they left at least one of their people behind as Russ went off with the others. They could easily kill Russ and Ann. Shit, they might even kill Katherine just because.”

“We have to give a little trust,” my reply is cut off before I can even get started.

“Bullshit,” Emy's words try to hold back her venom as she stomps on the brakes, “you can't trust anyone anymore. You fucking know that. Russ is dead right fucking now and they are probably eating poor little Katherine and hanging up Ann to dry.”

My blood boils at every word she says, and even more so as she exits the truck and takes several steps away from the cab.

“Then what? Do you want to go back? We are already more than halfway to the fucking hospital. You know the local hospital was ransacked before we got here,” I spit back at her as I exit the cab and walk to her side of the truck. Sara crawls out but she hasn't said a word yet. “We need an actual medical area. Everything Sara needs to keep us alive and disease-fucking-free as long as possible.”

“And if it is fucked then what? Then it was all for nothing?”she replies as the tension inside her is visible.

“That is just how this world is now. If it has been looted we try to find something local to make our trip not a waste. Then we get back to the settlement.”

“And what if that place is fucked by then?”

“We take it back,” I step up right beside her, “I promise you. If they betray my trust I will kill every single one of them.”

“Good.”

“Are we alright?” I ask looking her in the eyes, “are you alright?”

“Yeah,” she takes a deep breath, “I've been needing to get something off my chest. Why did you and Sara lie to me and tell me you two were just partners? Do you think I couldn't tell?”

“What? That we are sisters?” I look over at Sara who just shrugs.

“Yeah, I mean it is whatever. I've seen you two kissing and doing whatever. It isn't my business and I like you two, but you don't have to hide it from me. I don't need to hear all the details but don't lie to me,” she lights herself another cigarette, “and if you say you trust those people. Fine, I take your word for it. Maybe you saw something in them I didn't. I just don't know what to think.”

“So you don't care that Sara and I are together?” I ask taking the offered cigarette from her. The rain is light enough to let us smoke without much difficulty.

“I mean choices are limited. I have a feeling it goes a lot deeper than something superficial,” she shrugs as I take a hit from her cigarette.

“We should probably get going,” I hand the cigarette back before walking towards the truck.

“That was odd,” Sara comments once we both are back inside, “I thought Tegan was going to punch you and yet that didn't happen.”

Emy cranks the engine to life and we resume the drive down the road.

“Yeah, totally didn't happen,” I say as the rain begins to fall faster as the wind picks up. Rolling the window up I say, “I hope Russ got all the heavy shit before the rain hit them.”

“Knowing Russ it wouldn't stop him. He would have them comb that store, and then draw all the zombies they can out before hitting the grocery store. I don't think he is going to hit the restaurants though,” Sara picks at a bare thread coming from her shirt. Emy hands her half a cigarette, “I think he would save those for another run. He figures once you get most of the zombies out of an area outside of a herd, bad luck, or humans. It should be relatively safe to go back.”

“We have gas reserves out the ass,” Emy rolls her window down to a crack to let the smoke out, “Russ and I probably got half of those barrels full.”

“He mentioned something like that. Said we were good on gas for a bit,” I shake my head with a slight chuckle, “I did see that the barrels moved but I didn't check them.”

“He is probably going to use the generators just enough to keep the food and medicine cold. I am sure he is going to lock them all up tight,” Sara yawns and stretches her arms, “and if they turn out to be good folk. Well we got couple hunters and trappers now, and we need to set up some type of nets in the river and maybe the lake.”

“We are going to just catch zombies. How many do you think are in that lake? It just seems risky when we can get meat through hunting, and one of them might be a good forager so there is that. Also, Russ will probably grab all the farming shit. I should of written him a list,” I say tapping my finger on the armrest.

"We can't grow shit right now," Emy replies, "it is too late in the season. It is going to get cold in a month or so, and that is just the beginning."

The storm doesn't let up in intensity as we continue, but it also doesn't get any worse either. A torrent of rain with just enough wind to make it hard to see. We all stay quiet to let Emy focus on the task at hand.

“Okay we should be coming up on it,” as Sara looks at her map and then back up at the road, “it has to be the next exit.”

“Roger that,” Emy comments as she moves into the right lane. An unfortunate zombie is thrown from the road after being winged by us.

“Then take a right and just go down that road for about five miles. It will be on our left,” she closes the map and stuffs it into the glove box. 

“Well there was a little town here,” I say as we pass several abandoned houses and a couple little businesses. Coughing for a second I say, “do you think they all went to the hospital when shit went down? Which would be the worst idea in the world.”

“Says the woman that wants to raid one,” Emy chuckles, “and prepare to get soaked as well. We aren't going to hear anything but the infected running after us. At least until we get inside.”

“How should we do this?” Sara asks as she removes her gun from the holster, “should all three of us go in? We can cover more ground and watch out for more zombies.”

“And there it is,” I say while we stop at a red Emergency Room sign pointing to a parking lot to the left, "and all three of us together."

Emy turns us into a suspicious empty lot and parks us behind a large faded blue van sitting with its back doors open. A dead half-ate torso lies within along with a couple of bags.

“A good start,” Emy turns the engine off and exits the cab. She grabs the baseball bat from the back, and casts a weary eye around the rain-soaked landscape.

I grab a large flashlight from the glove box and exit with my gun in my right hand. Turning the light on doesn't help much with the rain, but the leaking awning covering the van and entrance keeps the rain off.

“Emy check out the van while Sara and I check out the lobby,” I say as we walk up to the sliding glass doors. In a permanent open state with bloody footprints leading both in and out.

I shine the flashlight into the lobby to see a destroyed receptionist table. A computer monitor lies on the floor in front of it. Upturned chairs with the unmistakable order of putrefying flesh, and the sound of flies that always seems to go with it. Gripping my gun tighter I step into the lobby with a deep breath. Checking the corners before turning my attention to a pair of wooden double doors beside the desk. They are propped open by two large rocks and old bullet holes dot the doors and walls within.

Emy is by my side but we stay quiet as we move around the desk, and Sara gives me a thumbs up after checking behind it.

“Be careful,” Sara hisses at me as we step into the Emergency Room.

All three of us step inside to see that at some point all the curtains surrounding the patient beds were violently ripped down.

"Shit!" Emy curses as Sara and I turn to look at her. A zombie dressed in a torn lab coat and broken glasses on his head tries to eat our friend.

After Emy gives the thing a shove Sara shoots several rounds into the thing. One of them is lucky enough to go through the thing's forehead.

"You alright?" I ask as a couple zombies begin to stand up from their hiding spots. Behind beds, desks, and around corners. 

"Yeah," Emy raises her baseball bat, "time to stand our ground and stay together."

"I got your backs," I turn to see three zombies heading towards me. Two from the lobby and one crawling through the entrance. Emy's gun goes off and I fire at the closest ghoul, which is by the ruined desk. The round hits the thing's forehead and it crumples to the ground.

My ears ring and everything sounds dull for a moment, but I don't think about it. Sara's gun goes off several more times and I hear the sound of that wooden bat clonking a skull.

Rushing forward to stomp the brute on the ground, and after a second hit I crush it's skull. The last zombie coming at me is knocked over by a shot from the hilt of my gun. Once it is down I crush the brute's skull before rejoining my two partners.

"Fucking hell," Emy runs a blood-covered hand through her hair. Not even realizing her mistake. The bat she is hold has become nothing more than a spike.

"That seems to be the lot of them," Sara ejects her magazine and stuffs it into a pocket. Grabbing a fresh one she loads her gun with a sigh.

"I am sure there are more," Emy walks to each corpse that doesn't have it's skull bashed or shot in and finishes the job.

"It only has a single floor outside of a morgue downstairs," I look around to make sure we are alone, "which I am not visiting."

"Agreed," Sara points at a zombie shuffling down through another pair of open doors at the end of the room.

"I got it," Emy says and walks over.

"Let's clear it out," I say as I reload my gun.

We clear the first floor of every undead thing we can find, and Emy does a perimeter while Sara and I get ready for the looting. Grabbing the boxes and all the pillowcases we can find in housekeeping. As this hospital is a literal treasure trove.

"I can't believe how stocked this place is," Sara says as the two of us shove sterile kits into boxes. Filling each large box to the brim and then some.

As we go through every room where Sara packs up suture kits, an almost inconceivable amount of gauze and bandages.

"There's the pharmacist," I say tapping on the bullet-proof glass separating the hallway and all the drugs.

Another zombie appears out of nowhere and slaps against the glass. Her glasses crooked and smashed.

"And there is the technician," Sara hums as she walks off with several pillowcases full of items in her hands.

"I'll go with you," Emy follows carrying several stands with IV machines attached. The power cords wrapped around the metal stands.

"And I guess I will take care of these two," I mutter to myself. Holstering my gun I remove my ice pick before knocking on the door leading in.

The two zombies inside pound relentless upon it, and after a moment I open the door and jump backwards. Like expected they both fall forward and become easy prey.

"Man that storm is getting rough," Emy says walking up to me with her drenched shirt sticking, "it isn't a big deal. The tarp and blankets are keeping everything dry."

"I saw a zed outside but he was a bit off," Sara shows up with four pillowcases in her grasp.

"Easy," Emy takes off for a moment.

"Now the best part. To raid an untouched pharmacy," Sara says as I lead the way inside. After giving the place a good once over my sister begins to just take every pill bottle. She grins in the midst of handing me the first full bag, "not even checking the labels of dosage. I can sort that out later, but this is fucking amazing."

After an hour we are loading the last of our supplies into the bed of the truck. A tough and tight fit but we got everything on the list. Some stretching of the tarp and a lot of blankets to soak up the rain.

“And this too,” Sara says as she walks out of the hospital, "I need it. Kind of symbolic, if you will.

We stand under the awning as the rain pours all around us, and each of us lights up their own cigarette.

"Shit last smoke," Sara sighs and tosses the empty pack to the side, "a fantastic haul. More than I could have ever hoped for. I wish we had more room for the oxygen tanks."

"I know we only got two but I locked up the rest real tight," Emy proceeds to close the open sliding doors. Her cigarette dangles out the side of her mouth.

"If we need it we can also make a run up here," I say taking a drag from my cigarette, "at least we know where exactly it should be."

“Yeah I wish we could have taken more than two but it is a lot better than none,” Sara tosses her new lab coat around her shoulders. Obvious that it is a couple sizes too big as it goes below her knees and she has to roll the sleeves up.

"Time to go," I say tossing what is left of my cigarette into the rain. 

As I walk to the truck a bright blinding light pops on in front of our truck. While reading for my gun a loud popping sound precedes a sharp, stinging pain in my left bicep.

"Fuck," I shout as I duck behind the truck.

Emy and Sara both unload at the headlights causing them to go out in a hail of shattered plastic and glass. Looking at my wound to see that it only took a chunk out and not a big one. Though hurting like hell I stand up and fire severals shots of my own toward the assholes who shot me.

“They fucking shot me,” I curse as I hand the keys off to Emy once the shooting stops. Blood streams out of my arm as I put my hand on it to try and stop the bleeding.

“Shit,” Sara rushes to grab something from the back as another car shows up all the way across the parking lot. Police lights and head lights on full but no siren. More gunshots are fired our way but they only end up hitting the hospital and not us.

Once I am inside Emy floors the truck to do a u-turn as fast as she can, and she pulls us back onto the road towards the highway. The police car sets its sirens on and accelerates through the parking lot after us.

“Motherfucking cops,” Emy shouts.

Sara pulls a pair of gloves on as shots ring out around us, and she examines the wound for a second. She pulls out a bottle of diluted hydrogen peroxide and pours it over the wound. I have to grip the handle of the door and just scream as the searing, burning pain courses through me.

“Gut up Tegan,” Sara says with a clear, commanding tone as she presses gauze to it and begins to wrap a tight bandage. She lets out a frustrated groan, "well only took a little chunk out. So that is good."

Sirens begin to trail off in the distance after awhile and I think all of us breath a sigh of relief.

“Jesus fucking Christ,” Sara sighs pulling the gloves off of her hands, “but we got it. I am going to have to change that bandage before we get back. Then I will clean it again and give it a more permanent one once we arrive.”

“Joy,” I am offered a cigarette by Emy and I light it with my right hand.

“Don't bitch,” Sara balls the gloves in her hands and stuffs them into a pocket, “you could have been killed.”

“Well this Quin will live to see another day,” I smirk at her despite the pain.

“Unless you get a bad infection,” Emy teases.

“That is why we made this run today,” Sara wipes the sweat off her brow, “so infections and easily treatable stuff won't kill us off. It will be zombies, other humans, cancer, and other more complex things we might find.”

“Always a ray of sunshine,” Emy replies.

The rain doesn't let up until we get close to the settlement, and it becomes little more than a trickle in comparison. At least the pain has become a low throbbing since Sara changed the bandage on it about halfway home. Emy pulls off at our exit and onto the little side road that leads to the gates. A light illuminates from inside the warehouse as the shutters are open, and I am sure everyone is enjoying the breeze that it allows.

“Shit they got lights,” Emy say as we pull up to the gates, "that's pretty awesome."

I exit the truck to see Russ unlocking the gate and pulling it open.

“You guys are later than we all thought you would be,” he says to me as Emy drives into the compound. I stroll inside allowing him to lock the gate up, “did you get shot? Because if you got bit then you wouldn't be standing here.”

“Fuck,” I groan as he offers me a half-drunk bottle of beer, “where did you get that?”

“We picked up a lot of beer. That box truck can fit a whole lot, and we made two runs,” he says as I take the beer. Without any reservations I chug the rest of it and hand the bottle back.

“Some assholes tried to rob us, and let me tell you,” I walk towards the truck as Emy and Sara exit, “there is a lot. We did good. Go round up some people to unload this somewhere. Sara is going to need a new place to work.”

“Gotcha,” he replies before heading towards the warehouse.

“I'll watch the gate,” a rather short brown woman says walking up to me. A large rifle is strapped around her back and she is dressed in Army fatigues with a hat coving her long auburn hair.

“You are Felipa aren't you?” I ask.

“Felipa Pena Ortega,” she replies with a tired smile on her face, “I served in Iraq and I want to serve again. So I don't mind keeping watch or whatever else needs to be done. Go get patched up and rested, ma'am.”

“I'm Tegan Quin, and thank you,” I shake her hand before taking off toward the warehouse.

Russ alongside several men and women walk towards the truck. Many of them either give me a nod or a polite greetings, and there is the smell of cooked meat upon the breeze which causes my stomach to rumble.

“What is that I smell?” I ask as I walk up to a group of people sitting around a fire burning within a drum. New people, as well as Ann and Katherine, all eating hamburgers. Using plastic cutlery to cut up the meat and beans while sitting on cheap chairs, “hamburgers? I would love one of those.”

“I cooked plenty as we found boxes of still good frozen hamburgers. Maybe a bit freezer burned. Yet no one has complained yet,” Alison stands up from her chair to shake my hand, “and let me once again say thank you. I think we can do something special here with the space.”

“No problem,” I look around the area to see four different fridges and two large freezers. Several generators sit off to the side with only one chugging away. Tables sit off to the side with a wall made of crates, and another side is blocked off by another large stack of crates leaving two openings. One toward a sleeping area and one out toward the docking bay shutters. Cases of beer sit on a makeshift bar alongside wine and plastic cups.

“We are celebrating tonight," Alison says as she places a hamburger on my plate as well as a scoop of beans. She hands my a plastic spoon and a packet of salt along with my plate, “so eat up. I mean you will need your strength for tomorrow. A lot more work lies ahead, yeah?”

“Yeah,” I smile at her before sitting down beside Katherine, who gives me a big smile, "and thank you."

“I am glad you came back,” the preteen says and give me a rather happy grin.

“Glad to be back,” I reply before setting my plate on my lap.

“Need to clean that wound,” Sara nags as she kneels beside me with everything needed to clean it.

“Real food and real alcohol as well,” Emy declares as she walks up to the bar and focuses herself at the wines. She looks at each bottle with an eye of a master of sorts. Reading each label she sighs and grabs a red one before pouring herself a cup of wine. She says, “beggars cannot be choosers but one can hope for a good bottle of wine.”

“Snob,” I cut a piece of meat off and scoop some beans with it before shoveling into my mouth. Moaning as the hot food seems to make everything alright.

“Well I know I am getting me a cup of wine once I am done with you,” Sara cuts the bandages off my arm as I take another bite.

“Emy can you get me a beer? Anything craft if they picked some up,” I say between bites, “I wouldn't mind having a couple beers to help me sleep better tonight.”

"Almost better than that,” Ann sets her plate onto the floor and pulls out a pack of cards, “someone had the foresight to pick up these.”

“What a haul! You weren't kidding!” Russ shouts as he and others walk up with arms full of boxes and pillowcases.

I hiss at Sara as she pours more peroxide onto my wound and wraps it again.

“Let me get done with this and I will show you. Or actually,” she puts some tape onto the bandages, “the area with the sink and counters. The employee break room. I want that area and the sink and counter outside the room.”

“You heard the lady,” Russ says before taking off.

“Alright I am going to see that they set everything up right,” Sara stands up and looks over at Alison, “and can you make me a plate please?”

“Sure,” Alison replies with a smile. Sara walks over and grabs a random bottle of white wine before taking off after Russ.

“Let's play a game of cards anyone? How about poker? Alison here even got some poker chips;” Ann stands up and brings her plate back over to the grill. Where it is stuffed in a box, “oh and save the plates. Can be good fire starter. Now I am going to grab a couple beers.

“I am down for some poker,” I take the beer from Emy who takes my empty plate. Looking at the label Sierra Nevada Bigfoot ale and there is a little Bigfoot walking across it an ominous 11% ABV sits on the label as well. With a shrug I take a drink of the heavy, malty brew with just the perfect amount of bitter bite at the end. A part of me wants to cry at how good this beer is after all this time.

“Let's move to the table,” Emy says grabbing a chair and carrying it over to a round wood table. She sets her food down and walks back over to get a bottle of wine and her cup. I grab the six pack of this particular brew and carry my chair over there.

“I want to play,” Katherine says dragging her chair over next to mine, “I know how to. My mom taught me when I was younger. You know what I mean, grandma.”

“Her mom was such a poker fanatic. So I don't see why not,” Ann says as we all get comfortable around the table.

Even Alison as she turns the grill off and leaves the rest of the food under the hood, and after delivering food to Sara. She arrives to sit down in our little circle with the rack of red, white, and blue chips. She begins to divide them up equally between us all.

“Okay,” Ann begins as she shuffles the cards, “Texas Hold 'Em. White chips are worth one dollar; red chips are worth ten; blue chips are worth twenty. Person to the right of the dealer gets to deal next hand. Ante for each hand is a dollar.”

She deals out two cards for each of us and places the deck in front of her. Checking my cards, a king of spades and a three of hearts, before I look at everyone for a moment to see if they are going to ante up.

So it being on Katherine as she sits right of Ann she hums to herself before taking a white chip and placing it in the center of the table. I follow suit as does everyone else. Ann sets out the first three cards; ace of spades; two of clubs; three of spades.

The hand plays until the final bet with quite a bit of chips in the pot. It is down to Emy, Katherine, and I. There's a two of diamonds and a jack of spades sitting face up alongside the other cards.

Katherine counts out seventy dollars worth of blue chips and two red chips before pushing them into the pile.

“Oh she is serious,” Russ says as he walks beside me.

“Damn right I am,” Katherine replies which causes everyone to chuckle and for Ann to chastise her.

“Katherine, watch your mouth,” the older woman says shaking her head.

“I call that,” I push my chips into the pile hoping my two pairs with king-high gets me the win.

“I raise,” Emy says as she pours herself another cup of wine, “thirty more dollars.”

Katherine and I call the raise and we all flip our cards over. Emy slams her first into the table and laughs, “flush!”

She has a six and seven of spades in her hand. Katherine only had a queen-high.

“Aw man,” Katherine pouts for a second before returning to her happier mood.

“Damn,” I grab my beer and take a long drink from the smooth beer, “good hand.”

“Lucky hand,” Emy chuckles as she pulls the chips towards her and begins to stack them.

“Your turn to shuffle Katherine,” I grab all the cards before cutting them and handing the deck over to the girl.

“How about dealing us in?” Russ says gesturing towards him and Stacy who has gathered around. Stacy has three Bud Lights. While Russ sets down a six-pack of Budweiser.

“Cheers to Russ for the alcohol,” Emy raises her cup up and we all join in raising her drinks. I finish off the rest of that ambrosia in beer form and pop open another one.

“Well I had help but I did convince the crew to go back for some extra stuff,” Russ sits down. Pulling a pack of cigarettes out he adds, “Felipa actually did most of the work. Her aim kept the zeds off us so well that I gave her the old M1 Garand I have. She's a crack shot.”

“She got one of those brutes from nearly all the way down to the end of the street,” Stacy says taking a drink, “and didn't even hesitate. Did what she had to do and didn't need someone to tell her. She's a soldier.”

Katherine finally deals up the hand and we all enjoy ourselves in the first real bit of revelry we have had in a good little while. The night goes on with all us getting drunk minus the underage child. It isn't much longer until Ann bids us all a good night and takes Katherine with her.

“So what do you guys think we should do next?” I ask spinning my beer bottle a little bit before taking another drink. This is my third one, and it is strong going direct to my head. Just what I needed after today.

“We need to get all the areas set up and the building reinforced the best way we can. The fence needs to be redone as well,” Stacy says as she leans against the back of her chair, “two of our guys can hunt, trap, and fish. There's plenty of fish down in the lake and river.”

“Set up some nets and just bring a few people with you. That should be something we try to do. We will catch some zombies but that is just part of the world now. The must important thing is fish and food, and if we end up with more than we can use. We'll preserve it. The risk won't be large at all,” Russ says with his face all red from the alcohol, "and worth it."

“Just do what you guys think is right. Get the hunters and trappers out,” I set my beer down on the table and steady myself for a second after standing, “it has been awhile. Got to give me a moment to collect myself. I got to say Stacy that you guys were fantastic today. Appreciate it.”

“All those boxed furniture is easy to slap together. If you have a lot of people working on it you can be done in a short amount of time,” Stacy replies, “have a good sleep, Tegan. Long days lie ahead of us.”

Stumbling my way over to an empty bed where I fall down upon it. Despite the pain in my arm my eyes want to close, and to the sound of distant conversation as the others keep playing. Sleep comes for me, though, and I am out like a light.


	5. Taken

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tegan and Co. decide to make a scouting run up to the closest Walmart all the way in Fairbanks. Upon arriving in town they are attacked by bandits. Will Tegan be able to save the day?

August 2nd – Year One

Everyone gathers in front of the warehouse that has been converted into our home. Emy and Russ drag a uncooperative black-haired man from the small makeshift holding cell we had to construct less than a week ago. When Katherine spotted him climbing the fence despite the barbed-wired, and she was smart as well. Instead of screaming where he would hear her and escape or attack. The resourceful young woman went to get Russ and Emy, and I just happened to have overheard the commotion.

He was easy to apprehend and even easier to talk once we had him secure. Telling us how his people will come for him. How they live in a secured location and that they need the supplies we had. That his leader won't stop at nothing, and once I told him about our weapons cache and how we will fight. He explained how his leader loves a good challenge. Then he got weirder with his chatting. Almost as if him and his fellows have deified their leader. Speaking of him as if the sun rose with his whim and the oceans sustained life because of his will. 

An eight foot by eight foot wooden platform was constructed to raise off the ground by a step. An executioners block to, as Stacy put it, “make sure everyone gets the message. Don't wash the blood off and let it stain the wood over use. Keep it in people's minds.”

“I would have taken you!” the prisoner shouts as he tries to break free from Emy and Russ's grasp. He snarls toward Katherine who doesn't even flinch as the creep stares at her. “I would have killed each and every one of you, and you would have thanked me! The master will come for me and I will be fine in the end. You all will burn!”

“Emy hold him,” I say walking up behind them, "and Russ quiet him."

The grizzled brunette grabs a hold of both the man's arms allowing Russ to punch him square in his nose. Even I cringe a little at the sound of the man's nose breaking. A river of blood flows from his noses as Emy pushes him onto the platform causing the madman to fall upon his knees on the unforgiving wood. 

“Don't even think about moving," Emy pulls her gun out and pointing it at the man's head. She snarls, "just give me a reason.” Russ takes a few steps away with his hand on the hilt of his gun.

I look over at Sara who stands there in her horribly tailored patchwork lab coat. An attempt to cut it down to her size turned into a display for how not to sew and chop your garment to pieces. Though the coat is still functional if not exactly good looking. Her face stern and I can tell she is trying her best to hold her tongue. Not agreeing with me but definitely not going to show anyone any division between us on such a weighty decision as this is.

“Some of you disagree with me,” I step up onto the platform, “thinking I should just exile him. Mark him so we will know who he is with an X on his forehead. Yet you all know what he just said, and the confession that Emy taped. You all saw what he said last night and this morning. How quick you change your tune.”

Removing an almost crumpled up soft pack from my pocket and I remove the last bent cigarette inside. Lighting the thing up soothes my nerves a bit as I continue after a breath. “Which is fine. I was on the edge as well," I look down at the condemned. "There are some sick fuckers out there.”

“I'm not the one with a gun pointing at you,” the prisoner interrupts.

Which prompts Emy to kick the man face forward into the wood and press the barrel of her gun to the man's skull. Her knee in his spine with her full weight behind it as she spits, “shut up!”

“Sit the poor son-of-a-bitch up,” I say, “I'm a fair woman but this world isn't fair. If we let him go he will go back to his so-called master and tell them where we are. What will happen is this master with all his followers will come for us. They will try to batter down or walls, rape the women, kill everyone, and then take what they want. At least they will try to. More than likely they wouldn't succeed but I don't want to give them that chance. The gun please, Russ.”

Emy pulls the man back up to his knees, and he doesn't even put up a struggle anymore. A cool breeze runs through the area as Russ hands me Sara's old snub-nosed .22. Checking the drum to see that it is full I close it back up and press it against the man's forehead.

He begins to laugh and tries to talk. Before he can say anything I pull the trigger causing him to fall over to his right. Blood pours out of his ears and nose as he no longer is with the living. No one in the audience gasps or even make noise about the scene in front of them.

“Give the zombies a snack,” I turn the safety back on and hand the gun back to Russ.

The crowd disperses without a word. Though I do get some approving nods as the day's work continues. Inhaling deep from the cigarette I step off the platform and walk up to my sister.

“He said that his master already knows where we are,” Sara takes my cigarette and we walk towards the warehouse. “It makes me wonder if his master will be paying us a visit.”

“Well how much is left in the armory?” I take my cigarette back after Sara gets her fill.

“I don't know. Felipa is doing duty up there right now,” Sara replies, “go ask her. I got to check up on Sam's wrist. He took a nasty fall out there this morning, and almost got bit. I am surprised he didn't break it.”

“That's what they were saying. Give him my regards and time off,” I turn towards the stairs and take a long drag from my cigarette.

The whole upstairs office area has become the armory after Ryan installed a door with a strong lock. During the day we tend to keep it open with someone on duty as every now and again someone needs a few rounds. People scout, hunt, and do whatever where they need a gun for. Don't deny them if they need it. Just got to keep an eye on usage.

“You did what you had to do,” Felipa says as I walk inside.

A desk lamp sits on a coffee table in the middle of the platform. All variety of magazines, rounds of all calibers, and shotgun shells cover it. Dressed in a light army jacket and a white tank top, Felipa is in the process of filling each empty clip and placing it in its respective box.

"So you heard what he said?" I take one final puff before tossing it out the door behind me.

"Also watched that video, like, ten times. Wanted to see if there was anything we missed. Can never be too sure," she places a full clip of three-aught-eights, .308s, into a box.

"I want an inventory. Need to know our defenses just in case we get a warlord showing up on our door step," I explain leaving against the door frame.

“Completed it an hour ago and I even corrected for Cody going back out hunting. Said he spotted a herd of deer,” she gestures toward the first office on the left. She grins up at me and says, “wanted to bag another so he can butcher it and fill up our freezers and fridges to the max.”

I step inside and remove my gun from its holster. My large gun thuds against the side table to the right on the inside of the door. A rule Felipa and Ann has instituted as they are the only two allowed with a gun inside barring emergencies. They both have become people I trust with my life and I have no complaints with the system. The last thing we need is someone getting into their heads to come in and try to rob us at gun point.

Leaning down to sign my name on the visitor's sheet I step into the office. Though the desk is orderly and everything seems to have its proper place. The rest of the room is stacked with boxes and crates of ammo. Guns line shelves, and each one is in order from highest to lowest caliber. Cans of gunpowder and casings set on another self with what looks like an old ammo reloading machine.

Grabbing a clipboard off the table I read over the numbers stepping back out onto the platform. Dragging a chair over I sit across from Felipa.

“Okay so we got all the guns in working order except for the .308 Finnlight. What the hell happened to that? It was one of our best rifles,” I shake my head propping my foot on a clear spot of the table. "It was light yet it was so accurate that even one of our novice shooters could use it," I complain and Sam huffs at me.

“That lightweight material comes at a cost. When Sam almost bit the dust after his fall. Well the gun fell and hit a tree hard,” Felipa shrugs, “but I mean we still got good rifles. The Weatherby Vanguards that Russ had us go back to his store for. Old man completely forgot them.”

"Yeah I was glad to hear it as his store was a veritable cache."

"Oh how he touts God all the time 'no such thing as luck. That delivery came three days before the zombies showed up.' To be fair it is hard to overlook such a coincidence," Felipa shrugs her shoulders. "Either way we are still good on rifles. No worries," she says while beginning to fill a 9mm magazine.

“Not like you have to worry, right? That Garand is a tough fucker,” I chuckles as I turn the page to check the ammo count. With a surprised snort I turn the clipboard toward my friend. “They have only used forty rounds all together? This whole month? I was expecting more.”

“Don't know much about hunting do you?” she asks in that accented English of hers. Each word is highlighted by her Mexican accent, “these are damn good hunters. As you could tell by the amount of deer and other game we have in the freezer. So they only fire when they are positive they can get them.”

“So we are doing good on everything else. Well that's a relief at least,” I stand up and walk the clipboard back to the desk.

“When's the Walmart run?” Felipa asks tossing an empty box to the side.

“Soon and I want you to come so if you are going get ready,” I grab my gun and replace it back into my holster, “don't be late.”

“Yeah let me just lock this place down. Ann is on her down time and I'm not going to ask her to cover for me. People can wait.”

I bid her farewell before leaving to see the SUV pulled up to the gate, and it does my heart good to see our old, faithful steed ready for action. The back cargo door is open and Emy is loading two gas canisters inside. Russ is smoking a cigarette while chatting with Stacy. The both of them loading empty boxes into the back as well as some emergency rations, in case we get stuck on the long trip to Fairbanks.

“Okay here is the list for everything to look for. If you can find it all there then come back and we will set off in the box truck at once,” Stacy hands me the list, “do you know what these are?”

“Yeah drafting supplies,” I cock an eyebrow at her, “you want to be able to design something don't you? Something a bit more intricate than we already are working on. They might have something like that there.”

“That's the idea. I've gotten drafting supplies from Walmart before. Can you look, please?”

“Yeah we can do it,” I reply, “everyone seems to have an item we want us to pick up for them from the store. You know we are just going in to grab what we can and leave? Just scouting it out before we bring the big truck to load all we can.”

“And if you can bring me back that then I can be a lot more productive in the meantime. We could build us a hothouse or maybe actual living space outside so we can use the warehouse to its fullest potential. Just need to design it out and I can't do it on paper scraps.”

“Alright, I got you Stacy. If we see anything like that we will grab it,” I smile at her. With a stretch of my arms I yawn and say, “it is good that you want to help so much.”

“I like to do it but it is also self-preservation. Just like all of you do. Except I don't know how to shoot a gun, ya know?” she gives us a small nod before walking off.

“Okay the stereo has been sitting out there for a couple of days now,” Emy tosses some rope and a tarp inside the back. Slamming it close she grabs a cigarette to lean against the car, “so it should be pretty clear. Who would have thought some of the more basic stuff would be so dangerous to get. Yet this is the closest Walmart in the entire state."

“Just be careful out there, alright? We know it is a long drive so anything can happen. You all know this though,” Russ smiles at us as he climbs up the rather sturdy sniper's nest that Stacy designed for us. As well as all of the wall improvements making it nigh impossible for zombies to knock it down.

“Tegan,” Sara walks up to me with a drink in her hand and I roll my eyes, “you didn't take your medicine. You are going to take it before leaving and we will get you on schedule when you get back.”

“I don't even understand how my diabetes can even get worse. I eat enough but never into excess, and I don't drink that much beer,” I complain to her but I do as she says and take the pills.

“Good,” she smiles as Felipa walks up to us, “hey there. See you when you get back.”

We said goodbye this morning before the sun was up and most people were asleep. Kissing and saying soft nothings to each other in the armory. Though we had to be quiet to not be caught it was still a nice moment together which is something the two of us hardly get anymore. Pushing these thoughts out of my mind to focus on the task at hand.

“Emy since you know where it is,” I walk over to the passenger's door and let the brunette have the driver's seat. Felipa puts her large rifle into the backseat before sitting down beside it. A power bar in her hand and she eats it with a smile on her face.

“There isn't much between here and there,” Emy starts the vehicle and the gate opens for us. She drives the familiar way to the highway. “Because Fairbanks was of decent size and Walmart's proximity to the Army airfield," she begins. "It is a very dangerous place with the human density there. Zombies are everywhere.”

“Might be people there,” I say making sure I loaded my gun, “did you notice anything when you scouted?”

“I didn't go into any of the stores or anything like that,” Emy replies as she rolls up the window so she can light up a cigarette. Rolling the window back down and shrugs her shoulders. “What I did find was that the airstrip was off-limits with all the zombies surrounding it,” she yawns speeding down the road. "I thought I saw something move inside but I doubt it was alive."

“I appreciate you doing it,” Felipa says as she lights a cigarette of her own. She exhales while making herself more comfortable. “Now I might have a chance to grab some socks and underwear," she slaps my shoulder in a good-natured way. "I think we all need some."

“We haven't decided anything yet. Let's see what the situation is before we form a game plan,” I reply brushing the hair out of my eyes. “Might have to bug out without even getting a chance to grab anything.”

“I wonder if it is one of those Walmart's with one of those barber shops inside. Can always grab some of those supplies as well,” Felipa comments stretching out all across the backseat. “Grab some scissors, clippers, and some product. I am sure someone back at camp can give a trim. At the least we can cut our own hair.”

“Maybe grab some razors so I can get a shave,” Emy replies, “I miss being smooth.”

“I miss shaving my legs,” Felipa chuckles a bit, “never thought I would miss that yet here I am. Used to find it so annoying and now it seems like it would bring back a bit of normalcy.”

“Let's not forget ourselves though,” I let the window down a bit to enjoy the cool, fresh air. “The one true priority is to determine if the place is safe enough for a larger group. We need a lot of these toiletries, clothes, and other stuff. Especially Stacy's drafting paper and I am assuming pencils of some kind. Whatever else is on her list as well.”

“If nothing else that is worth the trip. To see if we can come back and raid it like ants over a dropped doughnut,” Emy says as the three of us get comfortable for a long trip.

“It is a long way to go for such simple things,” Felipa begins as she tosses her cigarette out the window. She continues, “yet it is these simple things that help us stay sane.”

“And everyone is clamoring for something to make them feel more like they are at home,” I reply to the woman as I lean back in my chair a bit. “If they feel like it is home then they will fight for it and work for it harder.”

“Let's just see if it is worth it,” Emy says after awhile, “the scouting trip ate up a bit of gas. If we can hit a gas station on the way there and back it would go a long way to keeping our reserves in check. We might be bringing the big ass box truck down here and that thing eats gas like it is candy.”

Our gas ends up at just below a quarter tank an hour out of Fairbanks, at least according to the old high way signs. A line of abandoned cars line upon the side of the road and fill out the parking lot of a gas station. None of the former occupants seem to inhabit the cars or surrounding areas making me wonder where they wandered off to. Perhaps they had more pressing issues as there is space for the SUV to pull up to a pump. Though just enough to not hit anything and let us out.

“Felipa you pump and keep an eye out with that rifle of yours,” the three of us exit and I have my gun in hand ready for anything.

The rushing of the wind and the squeaking of a sign above the glass door leading inside is the only noise out here. An almost creepy feeling overtakes me. All the vehicles around have turned to abandoned husks sitting forgotten. Emy and I walk up to the blood-streaked glass window to peer inside. Almost everything inside has been knocked over and ransacked except for the cold storage. Which sits behind glass doors forever captive. What was once a man stands behind the counter as if he was still alive and ready to serve customers.

“Knock, knock,” Emy says tapping upon the glass.

The zombie behind the counter turns toward us and falls over the top trying to get us. We watch the thing struggle to come towards the sound, and I chuckle as the thing trips over once again. As it struggles no other zombies make their presence known.

“Okay let's go,” I say pulling the door open. Emy rushes forward and knocks the zombie off balance with he knee. Before it can regain itself she stabs its forehead.

“I got the gas and I will make sure to grab as many cigarettes I can.,” Emy checks behind the counter before hopping behind it. "They are getting more scarce and we don't want to run out. Damn near everyone smokes, even our doctor."

"Well get on it," I move down the aisles looking for anymore zombies that might be lurking around. Sure that we are alone I grab a couple plastic bags from Emy, who is filling one of her own with nothing but loose cigarette packs. I stuff my own with some candy, all the bags of chips and dried meat, as well as soda, beer, and water.

“Well at least this will make sure we can eat on the way back,” I say to Emy as the both of us exit the store. She has two plastic bags with nothing but tobacco and lighters.

“Now we won't go without at least a nicotine fix,” Emy replies.

“Filled the tank with no problem,” Felipa says as she smokes a cigarette. Leaning against the hood with her Garand strapped over a shoulder.

“Got some food, beer, and soda for the ride home,” I say with a grin, “just in case Walmart is a no go.”

“Tell me you got some Doritos in there,” the former soldier looks over at me. I grab a bag of cool ranch, though only snack size, and toss it at her. She catches it ably with a joyous smile, “I am going to munch on this right now.”

“Time to keep going,” I grab a pack of Marlboro Red 100s and tear opening the packaging. “I will take the drive back," I light myself a cigarette, "as all I got to do is get on the highway it seems.”

“Yeah the Alaska highway is a big artery for travel it seems,” Emy starts the SUV and pulls us back on the road. Making delicate turns and maneuvers around the dilapidated metal husks.

The last hour passes pretty quick and we creep upon the outskirts of town where we stop at a peculiar sight.

“Look at that,” I say exiting from the passenger's side to stare at the town sign. The old Fairbanks town limit sign has been spray-painted over with the words I find myself repeating, “the master is here.”

“That wasn't there before,” Emy furrows her brow. "Must have gotten into town recently. Like within the last two days."

“Do you think it is the same one the prisoner was talking about?” Felipa asks the questions that is on my mind. "If he was anything to judge the group by. I say we give them either a wide berth or just kill each one of them."

“We will find out soon enough,” I step back from the sign and return back inside the vehicle, “let's be careful and watch for anything.”

“Not the best of welcomes,” Emy drives forward into the rather suburban neighborhood.

Ranch-style houses line both sides of the streets in what was once a nice area. Now, however, it is more apt for a horror movie. Several half-torn and half-shredded torsos and bodies decorate the once manicured lawns. Windows busted in and the stinking, rotting corpses of those who didn't make it being the prominent decor here.

As we come up to an intersection where Emy stops for a second. I spot another smoking wreck of a car is flipped off into the grass. A zombie munches on the remains of a previous occupant and is oblivious to us passing by. After a moment we continue on past the scene.

“It should be just up here past the airfield and over the bri-” Emy begins but a loud bang is followed by the front right tire popping. She struggles to keep control as another loud bang causes the back right tire to be pop. We skid to a halt in front of the house where more bullets are fired at us.

“Shit,” Felipa curses as she brings her Garand up to return fire out the window, “out out out!”

Emy crawls out of the driver's side door and hunkers down behind the SUV. Felipa and I keep our heads down making our way out the left side. More rounds are fired in our direction and they shatter the windows causing safety glass to fall upon us. Felipa levels her rifle on the sill of the broken window and begins to fire off calculated shots.

“Goddammit,” I pull my gun out and keep my head down. Emy and I return fire whenever we can do so safely.“We don't have enough bullets to keep this up," I grunt.

I look around our surrounding area to see houses behind us which were once occupied and now sits abandoned by anything living. Children toys stained with blood dot the front lawns, and each door is either open or bashed in. The whole world having become a scene of violence.

“We got to leave,” Felipa says as a car pulls up to the houses where the gunfire is coming from, “now!”

“Fuck,” Emy says as the three of us run toward the closest house. I fire in the direction of our attackers as we run to keep them hiding and from firing at us in the open.

The gambit pays off once inside the house. Emy shoots a zombie before I bust open the back door to see another zed sitting against a tree with a tree house built in the branches. The rusted old muscle car pulls up on the street a few houses down from us. Their guns firing at us while we sprint across the yard and toward another group of houses were the carnage from Z-Day was a lot more brutal.

The car keeps up pace beside us before coming to a skidding stop within yards from where we are.

“After them! Go!” a man's voice shouts from behind us.

Running up to a privacy fence I turn to see three ragged, haggard, and in all ways disheveled men chasing us. Felipa and I scale the fence with ease but just as Emy is about to make it over hands pull her down.

“Go!” she shouts at us as the sounds of a struggle come from the other side, “let go of my you fuckers! I am going to kill each one of you!”

“Shut up, bitch,” one of them says and I can hear the sound of flesh upon flesh as our friend goes silent.

Felipa grabs my arm with a grim expression on her face and we continue through more backyards. Running for God knows how long until we end up crossing a street, and barely avoid being hit by the car that has been chasing us this entire time. A large group of zombies on the right side of the parking lot, near a store, spots us and begins their hunt as well. Making our options limited at the moment.

The car turns into the parking lot chasing after the two of us, and by this point it is obvious they are trying to catch us instead of kill us. Being three women out here I loathe the thought of our fates, and Emy's right now as she is undoubtedly in the backseat or trunk of the car.

We skirt between two buildings and they don't let up. The thing is right on top of us, a low rumbling of the engine as it speeds up just enough to be right on top of us. As we come up to the end of the buildings where it opens up to a back alley. The car revs up in an attempt to run us down.

“Move!” Felipa pushes me to the left as she jumps to the right toward an overturned dumpster.

I stumble over my own two feet and momentum, but I am just able to keep my balance as a ghoul grabs a hold of me. With the squeal of tires and brakes the car stops not to far from us and two men jump out. With a growl I turn the zombie around and kick it at the man, and he screams out as the thing bites him on a dirty forearm.

Felipa is on her feet and sprints toward me. Taking the hint I run towards the street at the end of the line of the alley as I fight through the ache and burn in my legs. Several gunshots ring out, and the whizzing of bullets fly by me striking the ground all-around us.

“Dammit,” my partner shouts as she falls to the ground, “just going.”

Turning to look at her, and a couple of men coming closer.

“Sorry,” I say before resuming my running.

A stand of trees lie between me and the next neighborhood, and a ditch at the side of the street my only obstacle. Leaping the ditch I keep up my pace into the overgrown trees and brush. A zombie moans and reaches out at me from behind a tree and an undead hand grasps me. Though his grip breaks as I keep forward toward a low chain-link fence leading into a backyard where a corpse floats in a pool.

The sound of a car starting from where I came from has me ducking behind the wall of the brick house. Then another sound that has my hair standing on end is a low growling. Biting my lower lip I holster my gun and pull out my ice pick. Yet to my only good fortune of the day the audible sounds of the car getting closer has gotten the infected's attention. Running on wooden floor is followed by the shattering of glass from the front of the house. After a moment the car peels out from the area, and I hope beyond hope that the infected follows them.

Sitting here for a moment I keep an eye and ear out. Even my nose as humans have become a lot more distinctive of a smell than zombies. The horrible realization that my best friend and a good friend of mine have been taken. These two humans are going to be subjected to the worst horrors a person can be. Tears, something I haven't felt in awhile, well up at the edges of my eyes, but I will back the rest and wipe them already formed ones away.

Then a distinctive sound comes from over the wind; one that I would always find when it is around. People having a conversation yet not a normal face-to-face one. The crackling of a radio's signal is what catches my attention and is what gets me determined to right the wrongs I allowed to happen. So I make my way back to my feet.

The ghoul that grabbed me from before stands against the low fence, and I end its un-life with a stab to the forehead. Then an idea occurs to me. What if it isn't just based on sound? What if the zeds can smell us as well? So with this thought in mind I use the pick to burst open the thin layer of dead skin covering its stomach. A horrendous, gag-inducing smell hits me in the face and it intensifies as I grab a handful of its guts. I begin to rub it all over my shirt, pants, and even mat the blood into my hair. Soon I am smelling just like they do, and I fight every second to not vomit.

To test my theory I stay as quiet as I can. Spotting a zombie in another yard I creep right up onto it and give it a shove on the shoulder. She turns to look at me, and I can see that it is a young teen woman. Not much shorter than my height. She must have turned in the last few weeks as she hasn't rotted fully yet but isn't an infected anymore.

She looks at me, as if inspecting every detail. After a tense moment she moans and turns back around before walking into the brush. With renewed determination I make each step slow, and with a keen eye as to not step on branches, up to the side of the road.

A man leans against the brick wall from within the alley I lost Felipa in. He smokes a cigarettes with a small black two-way radio in his grasp.

“I can't wait to try that spic out,” the soon-to-be-dead man says while I reload my magnum. Counting out sixteen more rounds left in my mind and I hope that is enough.

“You know the rules,” a masculine voice replies, “not until The Master tries them out first. He likes to let them be broken a week first.”

“Yeah, yeah,” he replies, moving off the wall, “I got company hold on.”

He walks deeper into the alley and I take my chance. Sprinting down to the edge of the building I peek just a bit around the corner. His back is turned as he kills a zombie with a hatchet to the skull, and after he yanks it out another zombie approaches.

While his distraction is fortune for me it isn't for him as I creep up behind him I point my gun at the back of his skull. 

“Do not move,” I cock the hammer so he can hear it, “and do not use that radio. If you do your brains will decorate this godforsaken place. Nod your head if you understand.”

He nods his head after killing the last zombie and drops his hatchet. He stammers, “what do you want?”

“Where are your friends holed up at? Where can I find your so-called master at?” I make sure to keep my barrel far away enough from his head so he can't head butt it out of my hand.

“The old army airstrip,” he replies with his voice cracking more, “in a hanger. I didn't like doing the things we had to do to survive, but you have to do what you got to do.”

“Like rape?”

“We just rob and sometimes kill people,” he begins to turn around but I stop him.

“Do not move!”

“Just want to look you in the eye,” his voice turns from scared to calm, cool as if he doesn't have an ounce of fear, an act. Turning to look at me with his hands up a smug look on his face, “you know. If you shoot me all the zombies plus my friends will hear it. Especially with that gun, cupcake.”

A zombie torso drags itself down the alley towards us but I keep my eyes focused on him. With my best poker face I retort, “do you think I care? Let them come after me. I will kill each one of you sick fucks.”

Shrugging his shoulders his radio crackles to life, “Eric you there?”

“You tell him that everything is fine. That you just had a couple of guests but it is all good,” I order.

He grabs his radio and holds down the talk button before saying, “yeah it is all good down here. Just had a couple walkers to deal with. Nothing to worry about.”

“Well we had a delay in the patrols so just keep an eye out for the woman. She looked tough. The Master's favorite kind.”

“No worries, man,” Eric replies back and offers me the radio.

Snatching it out of his hand I hook it to my belt.

“So where does this leave us? I have no loyalty to them. If you let me go I promise you that I will never cross your path again. I'll just head out to the coast and maybe find a boat. Was a fisherman in another life,” he drops his hands down to his side.

“You did rape others didn't you?”

“A man has urges.”

“Fuck you,” I lower my gun and he gives a short chuckle. Though with him off guard I push him back. He stumbles a moment before the torso grabs his leg and takes a huge bite out of his calf. Pulling the meat and flesh off with a sickening snap of muscles, tendons and flesh.

His screams of pain seem to attract the large group from earlier. Feeling confident in my disguise I walk towards them as they file into the alley. Each one ignores me as I walk by them, and once I exit the alley I see it. Surrounded by high chain-link fences is an airstrip with several wrecked planes all over the runways. Large hangers dot around it, and half of the control tower still stands. The other pieces rest about the area around it as a rather large explosion happened from the inside.

Zombie upon zombie bangs against the fence but the barrier holds strong despite them. The US military being quite serious when they put barriers down to guard their property. As more ghouls walks by me I spot the Walmart that the three of us originally came here for. Even more zeds flood the street towards the store while the parking lot is beyond infested with them.

Doing my best zombie walk I make my way over to the large warehouse store. No zombies suspected I was alive, and everything inside of me hopes that any human onlooker wouldn't guess neither.

The idea forms in my head that a pair of wire cutters would lie inside of which I can allow those zombies into the airstrip. If I am going in than I am going to grab some firecrackers to make a lot of noise to get the whole horde moving inside their compound. Not to mention they are a good way to get the zeds distracted from me in various situations.

Once inside the place is zed-free for the most part, and I make my way to the hardware section. Though ransacked of most items I do find a pair of bolt cutters with long black handles sitting on the floor. The firecrackers aren't hard to find as they were still selling their supply during New Year's season. Being displayed in the front of the store as you walk inside. Back outside I shuffle back over to the fence. Moaning and groaning while banging at it to give a better disguise.

Several men stand by the gaping entrance to the largest hanger built alongside the runway. Not paying any attention to the zombies and I. So as sly as I can I kneel and cut a bit of the chain causing it to shake a bit. Checking back at the men to see they haven't noticed my activities, nor have the zombies around me.. Slowly moving from ring to ring I cut a pretty wide hole into the fence.

The rotters don't need my encouragement to surge forward into the compound like a river that just broke its dam. Moving back into the depths of the horde I shamble alongside with them. Though their gait is a bit quicker, excited one would be able to call it and despite all the bullets the men are firing. Most miss the head so the undead wall makes their way ever forward.

While the horde moves past the air control tower I slip off behind it. My feet taking me as fast as I can to the edge of the ruined building. A man's cough signals my incoming company. Once he is within reach I grab the man by the head and stab my ice pick into his ear. He falls over dead with his rifle clattering to the side. Grabbing his old Springfield M1903A4 I look at where he came from. Several men fight back the coming horde and gain little ground. Kneeling down I search the corpse for any ammo to find a pouch with nine thirty-aught-six rounds.

Shouldering the rifle I look down the scope to the closest man, and I shoot him in his left shoulder causing him to fall to the ground. A couple zombies fall on top and his cries of pain seem to further the panic of his comrades. The doors to the hangers begin to close. Turning and pulling the lever back to eject the cartridge as I line up another shot. This time I get the man in the head ending him.

“Shit it's her!” a man shouts just before the door closes.

Running up to the side of the hanger, and getting a lot of zombies suspicious of me. I strap the rifle around my torso and pull out my magnum. A ladder on the side of the building, though old and well-used, allows me access to the roof.

Several wooden-reinforced man-sized holes dot around the rooftop. Looking up at the sky for a moment, a foul-looking cloud has taking over, and I grit my jaw waiting for them. With the height advantage it would only be a bit before someone would climb up to try and thin the herd.

“Get up there! Now before I cave your fucking skulls in!” a deep bellow of a voice shouts.

Over the moans of the zombies the sound of several people climbing up causes me to level my gun and wait. Just as a man's head pokes out I end his life in a crimson-colored mist, and two others pop out. Before they can even point their guns at me I shoot both in the chests. Two more come up the same way and they fall back down the same exact way.

“Three left in the gun,” I remind myself.

“Can we call a cease-fire?” the same rumbling voice from before shouts out at me, “you have the advantage here. Picking us off like it is a game.”

I empty the spent casings from my gun and reload it back up. Flipping the drum closed I shout, “is this the so-called master I am speaking to?”

“Yes, I am the one that makes men tremble before him.”

“Well glad to be a woman than,” I shout back as I peer over the edge of the opening. Several corpses have been piled up with the distinctive cracked skulls so they don't come back. Emy and Felipa are chained to a metal post off to the far right side. A large, beast of a man stands beside them with a gun pressed against Emy's forehead. Though beaten and blooded they look no worse for wear, and Felipa even has had her leg bandaged up.

“You want your friends?” he shouts back at me and I see him dig the end of the barrel against Emy.

“What do you want?” I reply as I holster my magnum. Slinging the rifle off from over my shoulder I move to another opening where I place the barrel of my rifle onto the wood to steady my aim.

“Do you want this bitch's brains to paint my wall?! Put the gun down and hear me out.”

“Speak then, asshole. I won't drop my gun until otherwise.”

“You let me and my three men leave,” he begins as I draw a bead upon the man's chest. Though I dare not shoot for the chance he might shoot my best friend. “I will let these two go and we can get the zombies away. Then never see each other again.”

“And if I shoot you right now?”

“Well my three comrades will just have to kill your friends.”

“Alright but let them go right now!”

I watch the behemoth unlock their chain and step back from the two of them. Emy helps Felipa to her feet and walks over to the ladder, but before they can climb I shout, “give them their guns and ammo.”

“That wasn't part of the deal,” he snarls back at me, “you can't change the terms midway through.”

“Listen I can kill you right now, and perhaps your men will kill my friends but I have a feeling that might not happen. They are bent on revenge after all. So if you give them back their guns perhaps that will start the healing process. I give you my word they won't shoot you. Do you hear me ladies?”

“I got you,” Emy says with an air of reluctance as she takes her gun and ammo belt back. Felipa straps her Garand around her shoulders before she pulls herself up the ladder with just her arms. I am at her side in a moment but she waves me off.

“I'm good. It's just a limp when I walk,” she grits her teeth and removes the rifle down to a ready position. Emy is close behind and keeps her hand on the hilt of her gun. I sling my rifle over my shoulder and wait for them.

“Remember you promised not to shoot,” the man says as his three men climb onto the roof. Their faces seemingly etched with a permanent look of hatred, and each one has their guns holstered or slung around their back. Finally the brute is on his feet with a crooked smile on his face, “look at that! Someone who fulfills their promises. Well in respect I shall do the sa-”

I don't let him finish his sentence as I quick draw my gun and shoot the man in the gut. He stumbles back and falls down the hole from where he came. Landing with an audible crunch. Felipa and Emy shoot the other three several times. Neither of them ever stood a chance against us.

Emy walks up to all three and destroy their brains before spitting down upon them, “fucking garbage. Let's toss this off the side Tegan to get the zombie's attention.”

Not replying to her I step over to a body and drag it over to the side. We do this with all three before kicking them down to the awaiting mouths below. Grabbing the firecrackers out of my pocket I light a bundle and toss them out to distract the others. All these measures allow us to get Felipa down without hurting her further. Then she limps alongside us as we head out of the airstrip and toward the highway.

“We need to get to the SUV,” I say as I walk back to where this started, “see if anything is left. If the snacks, beer, and soda is still there that would help. Just in case our trip back takes a good while.”

“You aren't talking about trying to walk back?” Emy asks as I light up a cigarette. Zombies come toward us but our pace even with Felipa's leg is quick enough to evade their rotting selves.

“Worst case scenario,” I reply back.

“I kind of feel like what has happened is the definition of worst case scenario,” Felipa comments while I pull my ice pick out to down a rotter. “I am just glad he didn't do, well, anything else. We got lucky so thank you, Tegan.”

“Don't thank me,” I say shoving the pick back into its place between my belt and shirt, “it is my fault. I made the decision to make the run.”

“Did what you thought was right,” Emy nudges me with her shoulder. The experience not messing with her mind too much, but she is also a good hider of her emotions. A lot like Sara in that respect. “Also,” she finishes, “you fucking smell.”


	6. Winter Comes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Snow, ice, and extremely low temperatures are another foe the survivors face. Bandits, scavenging, frozen zombies, and new people.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the long wait! Enjoy

November 15th – Year One

Cocking my gun while I stand pressed against the cold brick wall. Everything is covered in a layer of snow, and the ground – as well as zombies – have all frozen providing all of us with a needed reprieve from their constant presence. Emy nods at me on the other side of the faded red door as she cocks her scratched up black TEC-9, and I know she has been waiting for this moment. She found this group while scavenging and saw what they have inside. Words hard to describe the unimaginable horrors within.

“Ready,” Felipa whispers over the radios, “I have one of them in my sights and I spotted three others. They went back inside. So there are five in total.”

“Get their attention,” I reply.

It doesn't take long at all before a loud, echoing shot rings out from on top of the building across the street. Where Felipa sits in her sniper nest, and I know a dead body lies upon the snow.

“The fuck did that come from?” a man yells from the other side of the building. Then another shot rings through the area but the round strikes sound solid, hard. This is our cue with only three more left to dispatch and them undoubtedly holed up inside.

Emy opens the door allowing the both of us inside the ruined restaurant. All the lights are on as an odious, foul smell assaults our nose; and the reason becomes apparent as I stop agape at the scene ahead of us. A torso hangs over a drain as blood drips slowly. Several limbs, organs, and various cuts cover the stainless steel counters.

“You were right,” I whisper to Emy as we step up to the double doors that lead toward the old dining room. Several loud voices discuss between each other, though I can't make out what they are saying. The doors are parted just enough for my partner to see while I am left in anticipation.

“Three o'clock, twelve o'clock,” she whispers just before another round is fired by Felipa but striking the outside wall. “I don't see the other one. Wait – okay yeah he is by the window on the left,” she looks over at me. “No better time than now.”

I nod at the woman before standing up behind the door. After a deep breath we push the doors open and I level the guy directly in front of me. A pull of the trigger blasts a hole in his chest, and I hear Emy spraying the other with her gun. All in the span of a couple of seconds allowing me time to aim and fire at the last man standing. Hitting him in the shoulder, and this is followed by a scream of pain. I waste little time making my way through the overturned and blood-stained tables. Pulling out my ice pick I stab him in the forehead before doing the same to the others.

“These were some sick assholes,” Emy returns from clearing the rest of the building. “Let's burn this place down and rid the world of this filth.”

“Do it. Use some of the gas from whats left in the canister,” I light up a cigarette as I stand up from a body. “Turn the gas on in the kitchen.”

“Will do,” she replies before taking off into the street. Felipa waves at Emy who blows her lover a kiss.

“Felipa. Get down here but do a sweep through your building. Be careful in there,” I speak into the tiny black box. Stepping over the corpses with a sigh and an exhale of smoke. Another waste of humanity stamped out, and once on the blood-spattered snow any thought of them fade away.

The frozen bits of skull, brain, and flesh cover a small away several feet from the door. Frozen headless bodies join them in a neatly stacked pile to the side. With another pull from my cigarette I lean against the wall as a harsh, bitter wind blows through. Feeling a relative sense of peace for a moment I reach into my pocket to pull out my old phone.

An old friend I haven't had a moment to look at for a long time. Its display lights up as I charged it on the ride in. We all have them, more or less, and we all use them for the same purpose. Looking through the memories of a past life, lovers, and random moments. Soothes me in a way that nothing really can do. At least as I stand in the cold in a wasteland full of frozen zombies and really bad people.

“There were some partially frozen close to the car,” Emy carries the dull red plastic container in one hand while her gun is still grasped firmly in her right. “Caved their skulls in,” she says placing the thing down beside me. A cigarette is quick between her lips and the end lights up. “Memories.”

“It is good to remind yourself of forgotten humanity,” I toss my cigarette butt to the side. “Is that all we got?”

“Yeah I put half of it into the tank. Got enough to get back. We turn the gas on and just light a fire. It won't take long for it to go boom,” she takes a deep breath. “By then we should already be gone.”

The sound of banging against glass is followed by the entire window pane shattering in the store front. Felipa in her winter gear and combat pants stand with her trademark Garand. “I found some unmarked bottles of whiskey and moonshine. Which we can enjoy on the way back.”

“Anything else?” I ask but she gives me a shrug.

“Been picked over before. We got the job done and if there were more I think we would know. So let's get out of here.”

“We are going to blow it up,” Emy says with a happy grin on her weather-worn features. Always enjoying these aspects.

“Subtle,” Felipa has pulled out a glass bottle with a dark brown liquid inside. The harsh alcohol smell tinges the nose even from this distance. Yet as she gets closer, and has taking a swig of her own, she offers it to me.

My mouth and throat is grateful for the harsh, burning liquor. Warming up my insides and steels my resolve to finish the job. Passing it to Emy who drinks and hands it off back to our brown-skinned comrade. She caps the thing and we finish our cigarettes.

“Okay Felipa you get the car and bring it around. See anyone at all.”

“Take no chances,” she gives off a mirthless chuckle. “Come on, Tegan. You should know me better than that. I'd kill that fucker before he can get close.”

“Emy,” I begin but she doesn't even let me finish.

“I'll get the fire going,” she walks into the slaughterhouse that was once a restaurant.

“And I will keep an eye out,” I say, pushing myself off the wall.

Nothing in sight anywhere other than a stray deer that bolts once it spots me. The relative fresh midnight blue car covered in pockets of snow. Felipa scraped the entire windshield free of ice, and she is smoking another cigarette once she pulls up beside me with the window down.

“You know there are still good people out there right?” she asks.

I scoff at the woman and take her cigarette, “for all we know. That was it. We are all that is left.”

“Such a downer,” she replies to me.

I hand her back the cigarette while watching Emy backing up through the doors while pouring a line of gasoline. Without saying a word I move over to the passenger seat and slide inside. Lighting my own cigarette as Emy slams the trunk closed. She lights the flame and hops into the backseat behind Felipa.

“Fuck yeah,” she laughs for a moment. “That whole place is going to be sent back to hell.”

Once we turn off the town street and back onto the main road that leads to the Alaskan Highway. A loud explosion rings out from behind an old, small warehouse. Fire rises in the sky for a moment, and it illuminates the entire area.

“Shit,” I say once pieces of flaming wood, metal, and body parts rain upon the car. Each one leaving its own mark, but nothing more than superficial damage. “Russ is going to be pissed.”

“He heard that,” Emy laughs even harder causing her to cough a bit. “I can't wait to explain to him.”

“He just hates the attention,” Felipa explains to the mirthful brunette in the back. “Shouldn't be too mad. It will shake the good people out of their nests, wherever they might be, and might be able to find us.”

“And the bad ones as well,” I reply, “not that I am worried.”

“We've been good so far,” Emy says with a shrug of her shoulders. The patched up padded jacket shifts on her toned frame. We've all been eating rather regularly, and are in a constant state of building, watching, and scouting. All three of us have become rather strong-bodied. Hardened by our surrounding environment.

As we get back onto the exit a large mud-covered black pickup truck blocks our way. Two rifles point at us from over the top of the tarp and burlap covering the bed of the truck. Both figures are cover in white snow gear with darkened snowboarding goggles covering their faces. Though evident that they are both middle-aged, a grim determination has overcome the man's features.

“Are you the people that caused that explosion?” he asks in a thick German accent.

“Can we talk? I mean if we get out of the car peacefully. Can we talk like humans?” I shout out from the window.

His rifle's barrel is aimed direct at me. I would be a fool to make the assumption that he is a peaceful person. Experience has told me that people tend to be the other way. Yet after a moment he aims his gun up at the sky and nods his head. “Ja – yes, I won't hesitate to shoot you.”

“We have no interest in bloodshed,” I turn my attention to both of my companions. Each one justifiably nervous with itchy trigger fingers. “Nice and steady. Only fire if there is a need. I won't have my hand on my gun.” They both nod at me in acceptance. “Okay,” I begin raising my voice for the German to hear. “We are coming out nice and slow.”

I make each movement slow but confident. Trying my best to mask myself to this man before I can gauge what type of person he is.

“What is your names?” he asks, and his guard seems to drop even further when he realizes we are all women. “And why are you three frauen out here?”

“I'm Tegan, the brunette with the big .357 is my right hand Emy. Felipa is the soldier with the big rifle,” I reply as I watch the man's partner relax her demeanor.

She whispers something to him in German that I can't quite make out. Whatever is said causes the man to grin and give his wife a quick kiss.

“My lovely wife here just reminded me that I forgot to introduce msyelf. I am Herman Hasenkamp,” he gestures toward his blonde wide. Who has her hood pulled off to show quite a bit of hair tied into a tight ponytail. A black ribbon keeps most of it together.

“I am Cassandra,” the woman speaks in flawless English. “It has been a little bit since we've seen anything resembling friendly faces. You three are indeed friendly, right?”

“Yes,” I look over at my two companions who have also relaxed.

“Do you have a group?” the man asks lighting himself up a cigarette before offering one to the three of us. Which we all gratefully accept. “We used to be part of one in Canada,” he informs me. “Got torn apart by politics and bullshit. When we left the whole place was about to be burned down thanks to their idiocy. So is it a big community?”

“What do you mean big? We have over twenty people there and each of us is well-trained in what we do.”

“What is it that you do?” he asks as the wind picks up and small snowflakes begin to fall from the sky.

“We survive in any way we can,” I reply back feeling like a cliché, but it is the truth.

“Good, (good),” he exhales a cloud of smoke and looks over at his wife. “We are scavengers are traders. Always looking for opportunities to trade and barter with anyone for anything in the back of the truck.”

We pass several moments with idle chatting as he seems to be making a long way towards a point. A point I am sure I expect once he asked if I had a community.

“Meine frau Cass has some very valuable skills and we need a more stable life. How about if we joined you all? I can go out and scavenge everyday bringing people stuff back,” he says as the wind picks up even more. “We need a place to live.”

“I don't see why not,” Emy answers looking between Felipa and I. “You seem like decent people, and we can always use a good scavenger. What about you, ma'am? What do you do?”

“I'm a chemist. Worked at a hospital in Germany, and compounding was my specialty,” she replies snuffing a cigarette.

“We have a doctor and a lot of medical supplies. Always use someone of your talents as my sister is a doctor,” I reply with excitement as I look over at Felipa. “Okay you go with Herman in the truck. Cassandra can sit beside me as I drive back. Just follow me, and I hope you are all good people. It has been so long.”

“Do not worry at all, my friend,” he replies before climbing back into the truck. Felipa rushes over to the passenger's side and enters beside Herman.

After a moment the truck's engine roars to life and he deftly moves the large thing out of the way. Pulling the vehicle around, up onto the highway. Allowing me to pull the car in front of them, and after a moment I begin the short trip home. 

“Oh thank you so much for trusting us,” Cassandra smiles over at me. Crow's feet and laugh lines betray her age while her voice and energy try to give off a more youthful facade. “We won't betray it,” she says hopeful. “And I know it won't be easy work. I intend to help as much as I possibly can. In fact as a gesture of good will. I shall get Herman to give up all the scavenge, scrap, and food we have found. Sure to help out more people that way. Instead of just hoarding it all to ourselves.”

“It seems that he won't be too keen to just give away in the future,” I say as I turn the heat on inside the car. Even if for only a moment to conserve gas, the heat still is a wonderful help. “Seems as if he will set up shop and trade his scrap and scavenge for others. Not that I mind it. In fact I would like to stimulate some type of economy. To get people spreading out and scavenging as the zeds freeze. Especially within a day's area around our compound. Perhaps even find other survivors and take them in, or trade with them. An actual thriving community.”

“I think that is everyone's dream,” the older woman replies to me. “At least all the sane people anyways.”

The three of us make amicable chit-chat until we come upon the road that leads to our compound. Just as expected I can see everyone on high alert thanks to the explosion. Someone up in the sniper's nest both next to the gate and the one we built on top of the warehouse. Once our vehicles are spotted the gates open almost automatically and we are let inside.

“We have new people,” I say to Russ as we pull in, and I drive off before he can comment.

Everyone has come out to watch waiting for some type of news. Not much going on to talk about other than the zed hunting rotation, and who got the most kills that week. An extra beer ration incentive has seen many people going out there to slay frozen targets.

“Alright everyone,” I quiet the assembled crowd as our new arrivals have caused quiet a stir. Herman and Cassandra come up beside me, and each one has a smile on their faces. “We met these two on the way back from clearing out that nest of cannibals.”

“Felipa was telling me about that. Dirty business there,” the man looks over at me with a smile. “If you don't mind I would like to introduce us two. I know you are the (leader) of this group, and I definitely respect that. But, but occasions like this require some flair.” His hands move to accent his words.

“Go right ahead,” I concede to the man.

“Thank you,” I watch the man scan the crowd for a brief second, but I wouldn't doubt he has a well-seasoned eye. “My name is Herman Hasenkamp and this is meine liebe Cassandra. We wish to help the settlement as much as we can. Now first I will say this. My wife is a chemist and has extensive training. I heard this place has a doctor?”

“I am the doctor for this settlement,” Sara speaks up before adjusting the crooked and repaired glasses. Her eyesight wasn't the best to begin with and now the dim lighting doesn't help. “We have a whole set up and we got quite the medicine stockpile. If you want I can show you everything we got and show you around.”

“I would be delighted to check it all out,” the older woman replies. “Need to feel useful again. Put these skills back to use.”

“Wonderful!” Herman claps his hands. “As for myself I am quite the scavenger and repairer. I will set up shop somewhere, preferably warmer than it is out here. Then I will go out and scavenge for a day or so. When I get back I will trade everything I have found. No matter what it is, and what I can't trade I try to fix up or do something productive with. So as a sign of good faith I will give everything I have to the community. As I am now a part of it. Just know in the future it won't be free. Not trying to bust any chops – as they say – no I just want to keep getting useful things. It will get all of you interested in scavenging for trade, and maybe we can comb over the ruins a bit before it gets a wee bit more dangerous out there. The zombies are only frozen for so long.”

“The only thing I ask is do not hoard food. If you find a good cache then tell us. No bartering with food,” I inform him.

“No worries at all,” he pats me on the back. “Now would someone like to give me a hand unloading and showing me where to store my goods? I am going to need a spot for stuff I bring back.”

“We got some unused space we can turn into a storefront. Just have to use all the space we can give you,” Stacy nods her head. “I am sure we can rig something sturdy for you starting in the morning.”

“Until then Russ and I will begin unloading,” Emy tosses her spent cigarette butt.

“Going to do an ammo count,” Felipa says before heading towards the armory.

Everyone else who isn't busy seems to gather around Herman, and they are chatting amicably. Engaging each other as if both Herman and the others haven't talked to another human for awhile. With my tension about the new arrivals eased I make my way inside as I want to see how our doctor and our new chemist are getting along.

A couple of people smile and nod at me as I walk into the warehouse, and several people have gathered in the living area. Eating and drinking their rations. Our little band has grown into something beyond the mere twenty or so we used to have, and what I tell people. No, more like an easy thirty or more, I am sure Amy knows. She's in charge of keeping a head count and rationing.

“Impressive setup you have here,” I hear Cassandra's flawless English.

“Tegan, Emy and Felipa got most of it for me. We've raided hospitals, clinics, vet clinics, and any place that will have medicine or medical supplies,” Sara is leaning against the wall while Cassandra goes through the medicine cabinet. “Hey sis,” she gives me a smile as I come into view. “Good find with our new chemist.”

“Well we are lacking in some areas, but those are more specialized conditions anyway. Plenty of anti-inflammatory, antibiotics, and a large amount of pain meds as well,” Cassandra closes the cabinet. Locks each one and hands Sara the key back.

“I just wanted to say that there are a few rules here. You can keep your weapon on you but only a clip full of ammo is allocated for most. The rest is in the armory. This is my group of people I am protecting. We all are protecting,” I glance a look at Sara who has turned her attention to a folder. “But I am the one calling all the shots. I make the decisions and it falls onto me. So if I tell you to do something I expect you to do it. I also expect you to call me out if you find something really wrong with them. Be yourself, but in the end it is up to me. Understand?”

“Indeed I do,” Cassandra smiles, “this is where I need to be. We are missing some equipment. Probably left at the pharmacies you guys raided. Just didn't think about it. Nothing huge or big, just some items to make my life easier.”

“Tell Russ or Emy they can set up a raid for it. I know you are handy with a gun but medical personnel only leave these walls when necessary. You guys are too valuable,” I reply. “Anything else you need?”

“I am sure I can figure it out,” I nod at her words before bidding them all a farewell.

The rest of my day is spent in the armory chatting and hanging out with Emy and Felipa as we make sure every gun is in its best shape. Russ has stepped back from the armory duties as he has taken on a lot more raiding with the hunters and non-working builders. Cleaning out as many frozen undead out there, and loading them into the box truck. Bringing them out to the pit in front of the intersection leading to the compound. Burn them well into the night and I know they are drinking the whole time. Russ isn't getting the beer out of our stocks so I don't really care as long as it stays clam. Which it tends to be.

My thoughts are broken as Russ enters into the armory with a loud knock on the door frame. “Working in the cold again, ladies?”

“You know we are polar bears,” Emy replies to this old man. She snuffs her cigarette out in an ashtray as she leans against Felipa. Running a hand up and down the woman's thigh absentmindedly. They've gotten no work done in the last hour or so, but in truth neither have I.

“What can we do for you?” I ask smiling over at him.

“Remember when you asked for a good large spot for a group of us to raid?” he asks stepping inside and shutting the door behind him. “Well,” he begins, “we talked about Fairbanks. There is a lot of merit to that idea, and I have spent days looking at the maps. The ones we made plus the ones we have from before. There are several large stores in the area, and I thank if we bring everyone that isn't essential here. We can get a huge haul plus we can destroy a lot of the zombies before they thaw and come down here.”

“That would leave this whole place defenseless for an entire day,” I reply to the man, snuffing out my own cigarette.

“Not if you stay around. It would be you, the medical staff, and whoever is sick or injured. No one is exempt from this no matter the work rotation,” he says wiping sweat from his brow. “The crew and I have done well around us. Every little inhabited area has been combed over. Houses, shops, cars, and anywhere we might think we can find these fuckers. Some are still moving but most are frozen stiff.”

“I'm in,” Felipa volunteers without a thought.

“If she is going I am in,” Emy nudges the woman she is all over.

“How soon do you want to do this?” I ask.

“I can get the gas together tonight,” he replies while rubbing his eyes. Pulling out a flask to take a drink off of and hands it off to me. Of which I indulge as he speaks, “most people are still up. I am sure I can get them to agree to it. We need the supplies since they are easy to get.”

“You will need guns. Lots of them,” I hand the flask off to the two women on the couch. “We'll get the guns ready, and make sure you have enough ammo. Won't be much call for it here with just me and the medical staff. Just make sure to take no chances and use ammo only when needed. No telling who else has set up living space there.”

“When we get there Felipa and I can take a radio with us. We will find the highest spot in the area and keep watch,” Emy takes a long drink from the flask before giving the old man a wink.

Felipa takes a drink of her own before passing it back. She lights herself another cigarette and tosses her lighter onto the table. It rattles against the metal of a stack of magazines. “I like that idea,” she exhales a cloud of smoke. “Emy will get positioned at top and I will clear the building of zeds – as well as any other hostiles. Then I will ransack the place, and fortify it. Just in case we need a fall back position.”

“I will go get everyone riled up about it. Talk to Amy to see if she will give up everyone an extra alcohol ration for tonight and tomorrow. I am sure there will be more in the city anyways,” Russ hastily makes his way out.

“Now that I think about it,” Emy stands up and walks into one of the side offices for a moment. Walking out with sharpie in hand she grabs Sara's old map and spreads it open on the table. “I marked every gas station on the way. As you can see here but I remember a tall office building in the downtown area. I mean it is only ten or so stories tall. It is the highest spot in town,” she marks a spot on the map. “That is about where it should be. With a good scope and a pair of binoculars. We will be able to see everything.”

“A good team should be able to clear it without much difficulty,” I say as a thought comes to my head. “Not a bad spot to hole up if the snow gets too bad.”

“I do not want to stay in that city overnight,” Emy says with a look of disgust. “These walls have become too much like home. Maybe it is too comfortable, but the bottom line is this. If there are people out there, we could be at a disadvantage at night. Even with all of our guns.”

“Which is why we get to the top of that build. We spot anything worth breaking into. Pharmacies, stores, warehouse. Anything,” Felipa gives a reassuring look at Emy. “Got to get all we can. Stacy is looking for more materials to finish that greenhouse. She wants to start on a outpost down by the river once thaw comes. Need more medicine, food, gas.”

“Yeah I know and we will stay overnight if we have to,” Emy sighs. She rubs a hand over her face, “got to get up early. I'll set my alarm for five and I think we should be on the road by six-thirty – seven at the latest. Take the box truck, Herman's truck, and Russ's truck. Take all three of them and all the extra gas we can. Hit all those gas stations on the way and back. Assuming no one has hit them yet we should be fine.”

“Yeah,” I reply trying to stifle a yawn. “Sounds like a plan and I know you guys will be safe.”

The three of us talk about the next day's activities, and I can already hear people preparing outside despite the late hour. We stand up and walk onto the metal stairs with a chill wind blowing through the air. Tiny snowflakes and flurries dancing through the night sky illuminated by a bright moon. Men and women in thick coats are loading all three trucks with a good portion of our gasoline stocks.

“I hope you all don't need those reserves,” I bemoan, stepping back into the armory to grab my jacket.

“We can get more in Fairbanks,” Felipa leads the group down the stairs. “Or we might have to make a trip to the coast.”

“I won't go that far on my own,” Emy replies as she struggles to light a cigarette in the wind. Though after a moment she gets the thing lit. “But it does seem like a worthwhile trip. At some point, that is. Let's go lend them a hand.”

This task goes by without too much hassle, and all of us chat jubilant at the prospect of a good haul. Even some folks who I didn't expect to go – Stacy and Cassandra in particular – are helping us load and plan to go.

“I can kill frozen zeds all day,” Stacy chuckles with a burning half-cigarette between her lips. “Don't know how I'll do with people, but I need to be there to make sure we get the right stuff.”

“Which is why I am going,” Cassandra chimes in leaning against her husband's truck. “Herman and I will take the truck. Going to be a lot of scavenging going on.”

“Remember what I told you?” I half-smile at the woman.

She cocks a smile with laugh lines appearing deep upon her features, “oh I do. All the stuff the community needs; medicine, food, what-have-you. We will help find and bring to the group.

“Ja,” Herman says appearing beside his wife. Giving her a quick kiss. “Going to be an early start tomorrow, eh? Russ told us the plan. Looking forward to doing my part for my new home.”

With nothing else left in me I bid a farewell and good night to everyone. I head inside to the living area, and after drowning my thirst in a bottle of water, my head is eager to find my pillow. Which I do soon enough. Then like a light I am out just as sudden.

Breakfast is a quick affair with Sara, whose turn it is to cook. Makes an entire stockpot full of frozen hash browns, dehydrated eggs, and some sausage that the hunters made. A rather humble but filling meal. Before the sunrises all of us are awake, and a new pristine layer of snow has covered the ground.

We all bundle up to load the last of the emergency rations. Felipa, Emy, and Amy spend their time getting the guns and ammo all ready to go. Only leaving a handgun a piece – so three – plus the one I keep on my hip. A rifle for the sniper's nest, and there is where I will spend most of my time until they come back.

“I was wondering what was taking you so long!” Russ shouts at Emy as she walks toward us.

She drops the two large gym bags across her shoulders into the snow at her feet. Lighting up a cigarette she sighs with an exhale. “I will make sure the guns come back regardless of what happens,” Emy says with a finality to her voice.

“I will as well,” Katherine says as she trudges up toward us. Her Beretta M9 holstered at her hip with a stained denim jacket covering her. She is dressed in several layers warm looking layers, and she her stride is confident. Something that has recently just arrived to her form. “No need for me to stick around here. I can scavenge at least.”

“Just stay by my side, kid,” Felipa grunts at the teen. “And you are riding up in the cab with me and Emy.”

“I don't care,” she replies with a shrug. “I get to go. That is all I care about. Trying to pull my own weight like everyone else.”

Bending down I grab the bags full of guns and load them into the back of the box truck. Everyone is now chatting, standing around, and enjoying a cigarette with one another in the cold morning air.

“Alright everyone,” Russ raises his tired voice. “It is a quarter after seven. Let's go!”

I jog over to the gate as everyone loads up into all of the vehicles, and there is a collective rumble as the engines ignite in short order. Taking my gloves off to take a hold of the cold lock and turning the key inside. With a great tug I pull it open as Russ and Stacy drive by in his truck followed by Herman and Cassandra in their own. Emy, Felipa, and Katherine wave at me from the cab of the box truck.

A feeling of overbearing paranoia, loneliness, and a great emptiness overcomes me. With just the few of us left here. With a sigh, and a slight shiver as the wind blows in, I climb up to the snipers nest at the gate. My rifle is propped against the wood and sheet metal walls keeping most of the wind out. Though it does little for the cold itself.

“Tegan!” Sara shouts from below.

Pulling the hatch open I look down at her. Dressed in a thick fur-lined coat with the white edges of her lab coat peeking out from the bottom. Her taped glasses lie haphazardly upon the tip of a petite, red nose. She holds up a thermos with a smile upon her face.

“Want some coffee? It is hot and I might have acquired some actual beans this morning.” she speaks with a happiness in her voice. “Real fucking coffee, Tee.”

“Want to come on up?” I ask with a big of longing in my voice. The last time the two of us have had any type of privacy together was before we met the group.

She frowns a bit at me and a silence falls over us. “I have to help Amy with inventory. Then the two of us were going to patrol the fence. No time to just sit around,” she says as I take the thermos from her. “But we'll talk later, alright?”

“Yeah, that's cool,” I reply, smiling a somewhat fake smile.

With a sigh I close the hatch and pour some of the black liquid into the plastic top. The hot, bitter drink warms me all the way down to the pit of my stomach. Giving me a small measure of relief against the elements. 

The day is long, boring, and cold – but not so cold as to do any damage thanks to my protection against the elements, and a kerosene heater Sara brought out for me. Grabbing the makeshift lunch pail, which Sara also delivered to me. I take the somewhat stale bread and half-empty jar of peanut butter out along with a spoon. Though before I can even scoop some out of the plastic jar the crunch of an uneven gait upon the ice and snow breaks the temporary silence that the howling wind has given the area.

A man garbed in torn and blood-covered winter gear, and a pair of thick goggles pulled up off his eyes onto the top of his wool-knit cap. His rifle – now used as a makeshift cane – helps him with each step.

I curse myself for letting him get so close without noticing. Though he is halfway down the road to us, I do not hesitate. Grabbing my rifle leaning against the wall I kneel down and train my gun on the man.

“Stop!” I yell at the top of my lungs. “Move another inch forward and you shall end up on the snow!”

“Parlay,” the man's weakened voice just loud enough for me to hear.

I do not drop my defenses as I eye the man. It is obvious it has been awhile since he's been anywhere stable. A long, uncut and bushy black beard covers the lower-half of his face. He doesn't raise his gun, in fact he leans on it for more support. The cock of a gun below me makes both he and I fully aware that there is more than just my gun trained on him.

“Who are you?” I ask.

“I-I'm,” he begins, obvious he is in extreme pain, “Timothy Bernard from Portland. I was with a group since the b-beginning.” The man stops for a moment to bring his freehand over to clutch his side. “One of us had a boat but it broke down off the coast of Alaska. Lost people along the way until w-we set up a camp north of here. Long story short,” he says with a sigh, “I am alone now.”

“How bad is your wound?” Sara's voice shouts out from below me. I roll my eyes as I know she will want to help them.

“It stopped bleeding,” he replies.

“Did you get it from one of them?” I make sure my aim is on the man's head. Just in case he got bit.

“Neither bit nor scratched by the ghouls. Took a nasty fall a few days ago when a roof I was squatting on collapsed, and I've been hobbling around ever since.”

“We have enough supplies to help,” Sara says, and everything inside me wants to forcibly stop her.

“Indeed we do,” I interject right after she gets done talking. “But why should we help you? For all we know you are a liar, and there are people waiting to ambush us. Or maybe you go back to your group with our location. Can't take the risk. Even if you aren't in for us. We do NOT have the extra supplies. I must keep my own people first.”

“Tegan!” Sara chastises but I ignore her.

“Better luck elsewhere. So leave now, or I will shoot you dead.”

“But-” he begins in protest as he takes a step forward.

Without hesitation I pull the trigger, and a boom rings out for a second. His body falls to the snow limply. A large hole exists in the middle of his face, and I curse my aim – and the man for forcing my hand.

“I warned him.”


End file.
